When Anime's Collide
by animechick999
Summary: Graduating high school and working hard to make it into college, Serena Tsukino finds herself enrolled as a freshman at Domino University. College starts out on the wrong foot when a horrible accident threatens her life. Not only is Serena's life in danger, but the lives of her friends and new friends are at risk as well. Will all be lost, or is there still time left? Seto/Serena
1. The Moon Kingdom

**A/N: Hi everybody! So, I guess this is my second shot at this story. I had written this story once before but decided I didn't like it and, well, here we are hahaha. Just so you know I will be using the American names for my characters because that's what I grew up with. I hope you enjoy this completely revised version of 'When Anime's Collide.' **

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 1- The Moon Kingdom<p>

The Earth shone bright against the deep and dark night sky. It illuminated the entire Moon Kingdom, making the white pillars of the castle seem to glow like slivery crystals. The breeze was light with little tension in it, as if everything at that moment should be perfect. Unfortunately, everything was not as perfect as the breeze might have claimed.

Princess Serena stood at her balcony railing, observing the palace from above, watching people laugh with one another, giving off the vibe that they were having a good time. The princess let another tear fall down her rosy cheeks. She had been crying all night. Prince Endymion had left her this morning, and not at the best time either. Princess Serena slammed her fist against the railing in frustration, _'__he __couldn__'__t __have __waited __until __after __the __ball? __I __have __no __one __to __escort __me __to __the __grand __entrance! __I __will __look __like __a __fool __in __front __of __my __people!__' _she thought, _'__Mother __doesn__'__t __know __either. __She __will __be __so __disappointed __in __me. __Goodness, __she__'__s __worked __so __hard __to __get __this __ball __organized __with __the __Egyptian __Palace, __and __now __I__'__ve __ruined __it __by __not __having __Endymion __with __me! __He __was __supposed __to __be __the __one __to __form __an __alliance __between __our __kingdom __and __the __Egyptians!__'_

People gradually started to file into the palace for the start of the ball. The princess buried her face in the palms of her hands and cried. She didn't know what she was going to do; she had let her mother and her kingdom down. She felt like running far away from the mess that was laid out in front of her. Princess Serena perked her head up, her blonde, meatball-shaped hair flopping around on top of her head. She had an idea. She was going to run.

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><p>The Pharaoh walked swiftly into one of the Moon palaces many meeting rooms with his High Priest and guards to have a quick discussion with Queen Serenity before the ball began. The palace was big and beautiful, just as the Pharaoh expected and he was happy to finally have an opportunity to meet with the Moon Kingdom. When Queen Serenity walked into the room it was as if time had stopped. Her grace and beauty reflected her gorgeous palace, as the Pharaoh expected, but he truly underestimated the kingdoms ruler. She was captivating, her silvery hair falling slightly over one shoulder, her white dress catching every curve perfectly, and her silver eyes were beyond anything the young Pharaoh had ever seen. The Pharaoh and his High Priest bowed to the Queen, and she mimicked them just the same.<p>

"Thank you, your majesty, for hosting this fitting event for my kingdom," the Pharaoh said sincerely, "we are thankful for you blessings."

Queen Serenity smiled brightly at the young Pharaoh, his hair was spiked upward and colorful, his skin was tanned, and the golden puzzle necklace shined brightly, matching nicely with the other golden accessories he was wearing. "The Moon Kingdom and I are pleased to have the Egyptians as our guests." The queen paused for a moment and observed the Pharaoh's High Priest. The Priest was tall, dark skinned and handsome, he was wearing the same golden accessories as the Pharaoh and had a golden rod attached to his side. The queen smiled at the man and asked, "What is your name, my dear?"

The High Priest's sapphire blue eyes flashed as he fixed his vision upon the queen, "my name is Seto, your majesty."

Queen Serenity nodded, "Thank you for assisting the Pharaoh thus far, Seto, but your assistance is no longer needed. I would like a moment alone with your king if you'd be so kind," Serenity smiled innocently and continued, "feel free to roam about the palace as you please."

High Priest Seto looked down at his king and the Pharaoh nodded to him, signaling his permission to leave along with the guards, "Thank you, your majesty," and with that the High Priest and the guards were gone.

As soon as the porcelain colored doors were shut Queen Serenity let out a sigh, "Alone at last…"

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><p>High Priest Seto walked about the palace like he'd lived there all his life even though he had no idea where he was going. He felt as though he were going in circles but he had to keep his composure, he was the High Priest after all, he couldn't appear as though he was a lost puppy. As he wandered about the palace he came across a noise that seemed out of the usual. The priest looked towards where the sound was coming from. A little ways down the long hallway there was a light shining from underneath a tall, pearly white door. High Priest Seto made his way to the door. As he approached, the noise seemed to sound like sobbing or crying. The white door was cracked just enough for Seto to peer inside. He saw a girl with blonde hair, wearing a white dress rushing to grab some belongings from a drawer. Before Seto realized it, the door flew open!<p>

"AH!" The girl screamed as she jolted backwards in surprise, "Wh-who are y-you?"

High Priest Seto stood there, frozen like a statue. He didn't know what to do or say, he'd been spying on her, what was he _supposed_ to say?

The girl blinked a few times, the remaining tears flowing down her face. She stared at him, confusion crossing her ocean blue eyes, "Excuse me…. I-I nee-need to go…." She tried to move past him but the Priest's hand caught her wrist abruptly and she turned swiftly to face him, this time frustration flashed through her eyes.

Seto stared at her for a few moments; light and dark blue eyes piercing through each other, creating a whirlpool of emotions that boiled up in the two of them. When Seto finally spoke his voice was quiet and demanding, "Are you alright, Miss?"

The blonde girl let another tear fall softly. She spoke in a whisper, "Yes…. I'm fine…. P-please le-let me go…."

Her stutters were unconvincing to Seto and he pulled her a little closer, "I think you are lying to me, Miss. You seem to be upset."

Her eyes flashed of anger once again and her voice suddenly became strong and edgy, "I do not need to tell you anything! Who are you and what are you doing in my presence?"

The priest was a bit shocked at her words but was unmoved nonetheless, "Do you even know who you are talking to?" He tightened his grip on her wrist slightly, making her wince in pain.

She growled at him, "Excuse me!" She ripped her wrist out of his grasp and placed her hands on her hips, "That is _no_ way to treat a _princess_!"

Seto's eyes widened with realization and he bowed slightly in apology, "Forgive me you highness, I did not realize that I was speaking to the Moon Kingdom's Princess."

"What is your name?" the Princess demanded.

"I am the Pharaoh's High Priest. My name is Seto."

The Princess suddenly let her intimidating demeanor fall as she gave him a small curtsey, "Oh, please forgive me the Pharaoh's High Priest," she paused, her embarrassment taking over, "I should not have met you in such a way before…."

High Priest Seto cracked a small smile, "What is your name Princess?"

"Serena."

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><p>Queen Serenity slouched slightly in her chair, placing her hand on her temple, as if she were trying very hard to think of something. Nothing did seem to come and Serenity spoke in a stressed tone of voice, "I am worried, Atem. The state of the solar system is unstable. The Moon Senate doesn't know what to do about the threats to the Moon Kingdom. The Plants are all trying to help, but it's not enough. I'm afraid at this rate Queen Beryl could be after the Earth and it's kingdoms as well…."<p>

Pharaoh Atem stared at her, his piercing violet eyes did not fluctuate their determined composure, "Serenity, Prince Endymion has informed me of this but he, as well as myself, do not know what to do. All we can do is fight and hope for the best."

"But what about my people!" Serenity pleaded, "What about the people of the Planets!"

Atem stared her down, the determination never leaving his face, "I have just defeated the Dark Emperor Zork," he paused to put more conviction into his voice, "Queen Beryl will be defeated, I can assure you."

The two had a staring contest for awhile before Queen Serenity spoke, "I'm afraid Beryl might be after the Silver Crystal…." A tear fell lightly down Serenity's pale face, "And if she gets a hold of it….. I'm dead…. The Moon Kingdom will die…."

Pharaoh Atem stood up from his chair and grabbed the Queen's soft hand, "I can assure you, my kingdom will do everything in its power to stop Beryl."

"But if the Silver Crystal is destroyed-"

Serenity was cut off by Atem, "I have placed my faith in the Millennium Items," Serenity glanced down at the pyramid-shaped puzzle around the Pharaoh's neck, "If anything happens to my kingdom, the Millennium Items will restore peace and justice."

The Queen blinked, "What do you mean?"

Pharaoh Atem picked up the golden puzzle and held it up to eye level, "My soul is locked away within my Millennium Puzzle…." He paused to stare at the item and then said, "I suggest you do the same with the Silver Crystal."

Queen Serenity took a deep breath, "I cannot. When it's my time to die, I must."

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><p>"Where are you going on an evening such as this?" High Priest Seto inquired, "Isn't this ball important to your mother and yourself?"<p>

Princess Serena glared up at the Priest, "It is none of your business, High Priest. I am sorry."

Seto smirked, he was not expecting the sobbing princess he had met just a short time ago to have such a feisty bite to her, "I am sorry for pressing the issue, Princess."

Serena nodded and started to walk away. She was frustrated with him. What authority did he have snooping about her wing of the palace anyways? He had spied on her _and_ disrespected her! But on the other side of things she was a mess when he'd first seen her, and anyone would like to know what happened. She shook her head, _'__No! __He __does __not __have __a __right __to __know! __Besides, __I __am __on __an __important __mission. __Mission __Run __Away__…__.__'_ And that's when it hit her. What was she doing running away from her problems? She would soon become the leader of the Moon Kingdom, and she couldn't run away then, could she? Absolutely not! She had to face this and find someone to take Endymion's place at the grand entrance.

Serena swiftly turned on her heels to where High Priest Seto was now starting to walk the other direction. "HEY! HOLD IT!"

Seto spun around to face her, "Yes, Princess?"

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><p><strong>AN: Did you like it? Yay? Nay? Please let me know! :)**


	2. An Enemy Approaches

**A/N: Hi! I hope you liked the first chapter! Now, on to the second!**

**Oh and by the way, whenever it mentions 'Guardians,' I'm talking about the Sailor Scouts, haha. Enjoy!**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH! Except Ahmose is mine.**

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><p>Chapter 2- An Enemy Approaches<p>

The silver colored ballroom was everything Priest Seto imagined it would be. The moonlight and the Earth's light seemed to illuminate the palace walls making the place shine like diamonds. The large windows were draped with white satin curtains, and the floor sparkled with gray and white marble. It was a gorgeous room, filled with people who were sipping on their drinks, and chatting with each other.

Priest Seto had the best view; he was standing on the balcony that overlooked the entire ballroom. He was pleased that the Moon Kingdom had organized such a glamorous event, but he was even more pleased that the princess had chosen him to escort her in the Grand Entrance.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

High Priest Seto turned to see Princess Serena standing a few feet behind him. She had fixed herself up and was dressed in a much different dress than before when they'd met. The princess was wearing a long flowing white gown with circular golden patterns on the chest portion of her dress. Her hair was fixed up into two balls on the top of her head, and she had a golden crescent moon in the middle of her forehead.

Seto was taken aback. She looked stunning. His faced flushed a slight pink and he smiled, "Yes I am Princess," he bowed slightly before he said, "What do I need to do to escort you?"

She giggled, "Relax, Priest, you'll just be walking me down the staircase. Nothing too complicated."

High Priest Seto nodded, "Alright."

Princess Serena walked up next to him. She placed her hand next to his on the marble railing of the balcony, "I sense a disturbance," she said with a shaky voice. Her eyes sank to the floor and she took a deep breath before she spoke again, "I know that my mother and the pharaoh are discussing Queen Beryl, and I know that her army is coming to attack the Moon Kingdom."

Seto looked at her with concern. He didn't exactly know what to say, he just felt as though he needed to comfort her, protect her in some way, but he wasn't quite sure how to do it. He reached out and grabbed her hands and turned to face her, "Look, I have faith that the pharaoh will save your kingdom. He has defeated many adversaries before, and I assure you he will help out your mother."

Princess Serena nodded and took a deep breath to relax herself. She was very upset with everything that was happening. Her prince had left her in the Kingdom's time of need, and Queen Beryl would soon attack. What was she going to do? The Princess didn't know how she would save her Kingdom.

"Princess," Seto squeezed her hands tighter, "I'm here for you."

Her eyes flashed up at him and tears started to form, "I don't know what to do…. I'm so lost…."

Seto swiftly took the princess in his arms and held her tightly in a sweet embrace. They stood like that for a few moments before Seto took her face in his hands, "It will be alright. I will protect you. I promise."

A tear fell from Serena's eyes and she pushed his hands off of her face, "You can't make a promise like that."

He reached for her again, but she pulled away, "Yes I can, princess!"

"No, you cannot!" She snapped, "You think you are the first to promise me such a thing?"

The High Priest stared at her. He knew he was probably not the first to promise her this, but the High Priest was a noble man. Once he made a commitment, he would not break it.

"Do not be a fool, Seto," her voice was filled with condescending venom as she turned and walked away from him.

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><p>"Serenity, how will your kingdom continue to survive without any people or noble leaders to serve in it? How do you plan to make it strive?" The Pharaoh was confused that the Queen would not lock her soul within the Silver Crystal. If she did, her kingdom, and her precious daughter, would survive. If she did not, her kingdom would perish, and so would it's heir to the thrown.<p>

"Atem, I cannot explain why. I have a strong sense that if I am meant to die, then I must," she paused and looked sternly at him, "If your soul survives within your Millennium Item, then _you_ will save my kingdom."

Pharaoh Atem was taken aback. He was shocked by her comment. How was _he_ supposed to save the Moon Kingdom?

The two monarchs stared at each other in silence for a while. Serenity finally spoke when she realized that Atem was confused by her statement, "You see pharaoh, one of my Outer Solar System Guardians, Pluto, has seen the future. She is a master of time. She has shown me her visions."

"What did she see?" Atem was interested. If Pluto had seen the future, then what was to become of him? Isis, his royal keeper of the Millennium Necklace, had never been able to predict his future, possibly because she might not have wanted to, or if she already knew and it was so terrible that she did not wish to share this with her Pharaoh.

Queen Serenity smiled and a glimmer of hope flashed in her silver eyes. She moved a few inches closer to him, "She saw you."

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><p>Serena was fuming! She knew she was bitter because of Endymion saying such promises to her, just like Seto had, and then leaving her. Serena knew she was overreacting towards Seto and taking her bitterness out on him, but it was too soon. Too soon for another man to walk into her life, too soon for him to be making such rash promises.<p>

Princess Serena stomped through the halls. She was going to find her mother, to tell her that they needed to leave the Kingdom and get the hell away from the Egyptians.

"Princess!" A familiar voice made Serena stop in her tracks. She turned to see who it was.

"Princess, what in the world are you doing?" Ahmose, Queen Serenity's highest noble knight, was walking towards her. His blonde hair wisped from side to side as he walked, and his long silver cape glided across the floor. Ahmose was wearing a gorgeous silver uniform that matched his long cape, and his light brown eyes seemed to glow against his silvery apparel.

Princess Serena blushed; she had always thought that her mother's highest noble knight was very attractive, "I was going to find my mother."

Ahmose laughed and his pearly white teeth shimmered, making him even more attractive, "Pardon me, Princess, but you of all people should know that your mother is in a meeting with the Pharaoh."

"I know," Serena smiled. Ahmose had cheered her up. Ever since he was first appointed to the Moon Kingdom's knighthood, he had always been so polite and respectful to her. Serena had once told her mother years back that she felt that Ahmose would be a perfect king and heir to the Moon Kingdom throne. Queen Serenity had laughed and said that the king to the Moon Kingdom's throne had to be born on Earth. Still now, Serena thought that Ahmose would be a good king.

"Is there something urgent that you wish to tell her?" Ahmose asked, "I can deliver a message if you would like?"

"Uh, yes," Serena paused, she didn't know how to put this, but she figured she mine as well just come out and say it, "Ahmose…. Endymion has left me…."

Ahmose blinked. He was shocked that the Prince had left. Why did he just up and leave? The Moon Kingdom needed an Earth-born prince to be heir to make treaties and allies with other Earth kingdoms, for example, Egypt! Now there was nobody to form alliances and protect the Moon Kingdom from Queen Beryl's attack. "What! Why did he leave my princess?"

Serena just shook her head. She wished she knew the answer to that.

Ahmose bowed politely, "I can deliver the message, princess," he paused, "I am so sorry…."

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><p>"What…." Was all Pharaoh Atem managed to say.<p>

Queen Serenity nodded, "It is you that will save us!"

"How?"

The Queen paused, she wasn't quite sure herself, "All I know is that I saw you in the future, with my Guardians," she paused once more as another glimmer of hope struck her face, "and I saw my daughter."

The Pharaoh was confused, what did she mean? All he did was wait for her to say more.

"Pharaoh, I know this may be too complicated for you to understand, but the visions are clear to me! I saw you, I saw the Guardians, and I saw my Serena…." She took a deep breath, and the hope that was shining in her eyes dimmed slightly, "I did not see myself…."

Atem knew where she was going with this. Queen Serenity was not going to be part of the future. "Serenity," he took a deep breath to gather his thoughts as he placed his hand over hers in comfort, "If there's anything I can do-"

"Save Serena!" She cut him off in an urgent plea. There were tears forming in her eyes, "I beg of you, Pharaoh! Please, save my daughter! She is going to live! She will help you in the future!"

Pharaoh Atem sighed, "I can try."

"Please," Serenity begged once more, "If there's anything you can do, create an alliance with Prince Endymion…. That will only further the hope of my people."

Atem nodded and said, "Yes, I agree."

Queen Serenity smiled at him. The brave Pharaoh was the Moon Kingdoms savior, she just knew it. "Pharaoh Atem, I know you will not let me down, thank you."

A knock on the door made both their heads turn. Queen Serenity stood up and opened the doors to see who it was. The Queens highest noble knight was standing before her. He bowed as Queen Serenity let him in.

"I apologize for interrupting, your highness, but may I please speak with you?"

"What is it, Ahmose?" Serenity stared at him with slight concern, "Is it urgent?"

Pharaoh Atem could tell that the knight was nervous. He figured that Ahmose had some bad news, but wasn't sure how to tell the Queen.

Ahmose bowed once more, "Your majesty, I have a message from your daughter."

Serenity cocked her head to the side with curiosity and worry, "What is it? Is she alright?"

"Yes, my Queen, she is alright," He paused to look over at Pharaoh Atem, "Am I allowed to say this with the Pharaoh in the room?"

Queen Serenity folded her arms across her chest and nodded.

Ahmose took a deep breath and then said, "It seems that Prince Endymion has left your daughter."

Both Serenity and Atem blinked in shock. Serenity let out a small gasp, "Where is he?"

"I-I am n-not quite sure-" Ahmose was cut off by a very angry Queen.

"Where is he, Ahmose!" Serenity raised her voice at her young knight.

"I do not know…."

"Did he go back home?"

"You would have to ask your daughter, your majesty." Ahmose said in a timid and quiet voice.

Silence filled the room, and a shiver ran up Ahmose's spine. He was always disturbed when Queen Serenity was upset, because she hardly ever was upset, and when she was, it was not a very pleasant thing.

Queen Serenity turned to the Pharaoh and bowed, "Please excuse me…."

Pharaoh Atem stood up swiftly and before Serenity got a chance to leave, Egypt's king was by Queen Serenity's side, "I will not let you go alone. Not with the threats from Queen Beryl."

"There is no need, Atem. I have my knights set up around the entire palace. I assure you I will be alright."

Atem shook his head, "I insist."

A few quiet moments later, the two monarchs were out the door in search of Princess Serena.

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><p>High Priest Seto was once again wondering around the silvery-colored palace. He was angry, first at himself, and second at Serena for just leaving him. Now he was wondering about searching for her. Seto needed to present the Princess in the Grand Entrance in the ball! And now she was nowhere to be found.<p>

_'__You __think __you __are __the __first __to __promise __me __such __a __thing?__'_ Her words echoed in Seto's head, _'__Do __not __be __a __fool, __Seto__…__.__'_ They stung with each harsh syllable. How was he going to really prove to her that he meant what he said? How was he going to carry out his promise? Truthfully, Seto wasn't sure one bit on how he was going to do it. All he was sure of was that he needed to find Serena.

As the High Priest turned down a dark hallway he saw a familiar face, "Isis," he called as he approached the women who had her eyes closed and hands hovering over her Millennium Necklace. She was wearing a traditional Egyptian cotton gown, with golden emblems on it. She had on golden jewelry, including her Millennium Necklace, and a large golden headpiece.

"Isis," Seto said again as he walked up next to her, "What are you doing?"

Isis opened her eyes and dropped her hands away from her Millennium Necklace. Isis was one of the Pharaoh's royal keepers. She was the keeper of the Millennium Necklace, and was responsible for prophesizing the future for the Pharaoh.

"I would like to ask you the same thing, Seto," she said as she placed a hand on her hip. She looked him up and down, as if she was suspicious of something.

"I was looking for Princess Serena," he said, "I am escorting her in the Grand Entrance."

Isis's eyes lit up and a smile creped up her face as she said, "Well, isn't that an honor?" She let out a small laugh and her voice filled with sincerity, "Congratulations, Seto. How were you chosen for such a task?"

High Priest Seto's voice became stern, "Prince Endymion has left her…." He trailed off as he remembered Serena upset and ready to flee the palace. If it weren't for Seto, Serena would have fled….

Another thought struck Seto abruptly, _'__I __may __have __saved __her __from __fleeing __the __first __time __around, __but __she __might __be __fleeing __again, __because __of __me __and __that __ridiculous __promise!__' _Priest Seto mentally hit himself for being so rash with the Princess before. If he wouldn't have been so stupid, he wouldn't be out looking for her now.

"What do you mean he _left_?" Isis's voice was filled with shock and concern.

"He's gone, Isis! He went back home."

"Back to Earth?"

"Yes," Seto looked away from Isis's upset face. It reminded him of the way Serena's face had been when she was upset. He was angry at himself and all he could do was focus on Serena, "I have to go," Seto was about to leave when Isis said something that made him stop.

"This is worse than I predicted…." She paused and clutched her Millennium Necklace. She stared at the floor for a few moments before continuing, "I saw Queen Beryl…. She will be here soon…."

"Soon?" Seto stood there staring at her, waiting for her to continue. When she didn't speak quick enough he grabbed her arms and shook her to get her to stop her daydreaming, "Isis!"

Isis looked up with tears filling her dark brown eyes, "We are in trouble."

Seto let go of her, "I know this, Isis, what else?"

Isis cleared her throat, "I was about to leave to inform the Pharaoh, but then you showed up."

"What's going to happen to us?"

She dropped her face again and stared at the floor, "It is unclear, but I have a strong feeling that lives will be lost."

"What do you know for sure, Isis?" Seto was persistent and stern. He needed to find Serena and the Pharaoh and get them away from here.

Tears were now dripping down Isis's tanned face, "Queen Beryl will be here shortly, there's no time to escape…. We will perish."

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><p><strong>AN: ****So ****how ****did ****you ****like ****it? ****Let ****me ****know!**


	3. Before The Storm

**A/N: So, chapter 3! I updated a little later than I expected, I'm sorry! **

**I DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 3- Before The Storm<p>

The wind picked up as it ruffled through Ahmose's hair. A chill ran up his spine as another strong gust whipped his blonde locks around once again. The air was slightly foggy, and there was a strange heaviness about it, like someone was watching from afar.

The spookiness was disturbing, but Ahmose knew he had a job to do: face Queen Beryl head on. He was the head knight and needed to stand his ground for his kingdom. It didn't help that he was the only knight that was searching the outside perimeter of the palace. The other knights were guarding the kingdom close by the palace grounds. Ahmose was ordered by Queen Serenity to search the perimeter for any signs of Beryl while the Pharaoh and Serenity went looking for Princess Serena.

The wind and the fog seemed to be getting worse as Ahmose continued to search. _'There's nothing here but wind and fog,'_ He though, _'this is a waste of my time.'_

He reached the outermost part of the palace perimeter. Nothing was to be found. No sign of Queen Beryl. No sign of her army. Nothing. The only thing out here was Moon dust and shrubs.

Ahmose stood there for a few minutes before he decided the coast was clear. He started to walk back to the palace.

The wind picked up again, but this time the gust almost blew Ahmose off his feet. He turned towards the direction of the wind and saw a heavy blackness in the air. The blackness almost looked like a figure of something, but Ahmose couldn't quite make out what it was.

The blackness inched closer in an eerie crawl. Ahmose took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He drew his sword and prepared to face the darkness.

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><p>"Isis, we need to get out of here and warn everyone," Seto grabbed Isis' wrist and began to walk but was pulled back by a slight tug. He turned around, "Now, Isis!"<p>

Isis pulled her hand out of his grip and shook her head, "We cannot cause panic, Seto."

A confused look crept up on the High Priests face, "What are you talking about? We are in danger and so is the Pharaoh. We must leave _now_!" Seto didn't understand why Isis didn't want to leave; they would die if they stayed.

Isis took a deep breath and looked up into the priests deep blue eyes. Tears were quickly forming in her eyes and she let one fall and hit the ground with a tiny splash, "I don't mean to cry, Seto…. I've just seen, not a few deaths, but many deaths…. Including my own…." Her tears quickly turned into small streams that fell rapidly down her cheeks as she began to sob.

Seto pulled her into an embrace. He let her cry in his arms for awhile before he spoke, "Why didn't you tell me about your death right away?"

She shook her head, "I'm sorry…."

He broke the embrace and gripped her upper arms tightly. He bent down so that their eyes were on the same level. Seto glared at her sternly, his blue eyes piercing her brown ones, "Do not be sorry, Isis. You know that not every one of your visions are completely accurate. You may be predicting something that will never come true."

"I know," she nodded, "But I've never had a vision this strong before, I can feel it not only in my mind, but throughout my entire body. I feel it flow through my veins, in my bones…." She placed her hand on her chest, "I can feel it in my heart."

Seto stared at her for a few moments. He knew that the Millennium Necklace was extremely accurate, and when it was used by Isis the predictions were even _more_ accurate. If Isis felt that her vision would come true with everything in her, then it more than likely would. Seto just didn't want her to give up so easily, but he knew, even in his heart, that she was going to die.

Seto let go of his grip on Isis and stood up straight. He let out a heavy sigh as he rubbed his temples in an attempt to keep himself from distress. This entire situation was horrible and now Seto regretted encouraging the Pharaoh into bringing everyone to the Moon Kingdom.

"Seto…." Isis whispered. She began to unhook the back of her Millennium Necklace.

"What are you doing?"

She held out the necklace, "I want you to take it with you."

"Isis, don't you give up," Seto shook his head in furry, "Don't you give up on me so easily!"

She smiled weakly, "Give this to the Pharaoh."

"No! The Pharaoh needs you, Isis! You can still live," The High Priest grabbed her hand tightly, "Come with me, we will find the Pharaoh and we will survive!"

Isis lowered her head and Seto saw a tear drip down and hit the marble floor. "I cannot, Seto…. My destiny is to die." She took a deep breath and spoke in a whisper, "Please let me go."

Seto shook his head and shouted, "No, Isis! I cannot just leave you here to die!"

Isis looked up at him, her brown eyes full of reason and confidence, "We shall see each other again one day."

* * *

><p>Serena was fed up with herself. She hung her head slightly in disappointment. She had let her mother down by Endymion leaving. She didn't know why he left, but she remembered the last conversation they'd had and his gorgeous eyes piercing through her and shattering her heart into a million pieces….<p>

'_Serena, I cannot stay here. Earth is my home,' Endymion said as he let go of Serena's hand to gaze upon his home planet through Serena's bedroom window. _

'_Endymion, please!' She begged as she reached for his arm. He quickly pulled it away._

'_Serena,' he took a deep breath before continuing, 'we are not meant to be together any longer.'_

_Serena blinked in shock and she raised her voice, 'what are you talking about!' Furry poured through her and she clenched her fists to try and contain her rage, 'You cannot do this!' Serena stomped closer to him, their faces just inches apart, 'WE ARE ENGADGED TO BE WED! YOU CANNOT JUST LEAVE NOW!'_

_Endymion glared at her, 'It is what it is, Serena…. I must go. There's nothing for me here….'_

_ Shock crossed Serena's face as she took a step back, 'Nothing for you here? Nothing for you….' she trailed off into a moment of silence to place her thoughts, 'I'm here, Endymion.' Confusion made itself quite evident in her voice, 'Isn't that enough for you?' _

_ Endymion shook his head. Nothing Serena would say could convince him, his mind was made up, 'My destiny is to go home. Earth needs me. I cannot become king of the Moon Kingdom. I am truly sorry, Serena.'_

_ Serena was not only confused but enraged! How could she not be enough for him? How could he just up and leave? Tears streaked down her rosy cheeks and a few grazed her lips, and Serena tasted the bittersweet-ness of her tears…._

_ Endymion started to walk towards the door when he stopped in his tracks and turned on his heel to face Serena one last time, 'Goodbye, I love you….' _

Serena slammed her fist into the hard marble railing. She was overlooking the ballroom. She hadn't noticed any of the party-goers below because of her little flashback. It took a second for her frustration of her flashback with Endymion to subdue. Serena inhaled deeply and let it out slowly.

Serena observed the guests who were chatting, drinking, and dancing below. Did they even notice her daydreaming? Did they even know she was standing above them? Did they even know of the dangers that were lurking just outside the palace? Serena assumed they didn't. She had felt Queen Beryl approaching and it made her stomach do flips. Serena felt her nerves take over and she was about to run when she turned around to see High Priest Seto walking towards her.

His sapphire blue eyes glared into her soul, there was something disturbing about them, like he was just given horrid news. Serena could tell he was trying to cover-up something. He was doing a good job of it too, if it weren't for his eyes….

"Serena," Seto said in a calm voice, "are you alright?"

Serena took a deep breath again and exhaled, "Yes, I am alright, you?"

He nodded even though Serena knew he was lying. His eyes were keeping something secret.

Seto held out his hand and gave Serena a charming smirk, letting whatever bad news he had just received roll off his back, "I believe it's time for me to escort you in the Grand Entrance."

Serena smiled, "Yes, it is." She took his hand and began to turn her head, as if she were looking for something.

High Priest Seto cocked his head to the side, "What are you looking for?"

"Ahmose," She said, "he is supposed to announce the Grand Entrance," Serena paused for a moment and remembered that she had sent Ahmose off to deliver a message to her mother.

"Princess?"

She looked up into Seto's beautiful blue eyes, "I'm sorry; I just remembered that I sent him off to deliver a message to my mother. It's perfectly alright. I can have a guard announce our arrival." Princess Serena saw a guard standing close by and shouted over to him, "Excuse me?"

The guard turned towards her direction quickly and bowed, "Yes, your majesty?"

"I need you to announce the arrival of myself," she paused and looked up at Seto. She tugged on his arm and gave him a flirty smile, "and my _date_," she emphasized the word, "High Priest Seto."

"Yes, your majesty."

* * *

><p>The hair on the back of Ahmose's neck stood up. His stomach did mini flips as he stood there, waiting for the darkness that was approaching to attack.<p>

As the blackness inched closer and closer, Ahmose was able to see a faint figure emerging form the dark fog. He squinted slightly to see if he could make out more of the figure. Sure enough, he saw what looked like an outline of a human.

Ahmose took a deep breath and shouted, "SHOW YOURSELF!"

There was no response, and the eerie-ness of it made Ahmose shiver. Nothing was worse than an enemy he couldn't see, or hear….

He shouted to the blackness once again, "COME OUT! I KNOW YOU ARE THERE!"

Silence filled his ears for a long while, and the blackness inched closer until it stopped a few feet in front of Ahmose. He gripped his sword tighter and held it more firmly in front of him.

The blackness started to disappear and the figure that Ahmose saw before was much clearer now.

"S-show yourself…." Ahmose said in a quiet voice. He could feel his nerves taking over and engulfing him.

There were a few moments of silence until a soft voice was heard, almost inaudible, like a whisper, "As you wish."

Slowly, the figure moved into view, and the blackness that once surrounded the area was gone, leaving behind excess fog and a tall, young man.

Ahmose glared at the man who was about the same age as him, if not a few years older, "Who are you?"

The man gave Ahmose a small smirk, his black eyes smiling as well. He bowed slightly to Ahmose and said, "I am Vincent."

Ahmose narrowed his eyes at him, "What are you doing here, and what do you want with my people?"

Vincent's smirk grew and he let out a small laugh, "I am not here to hurt your people. I am looking for the one who will become king."

Ahmose became defensive, "What do you want with the Moon King?"

The smirk that was evident on Vincent's face dropped into a frown, and he furrowed his brows, "Is the one who is from Earth not here?"

Ahmose frowned but stayed silent. He refused to tell a stranger who was possibly working for Queen Beryl anything about his kingdom.

"Is Prince Endymion not here?" Vincent's voice was sharp and was etched with a mocking tone, "Has he left?"

Ahmose did not respond. He was furious. Who did this man think he was? Snooping around in the Moon Kingdom's business; he had no right.

The smirk reappeared on Vincent's face and he took a step closer to Ahmose, the mocking tone still evident in his voice, "So, he has left…. The Moon Kingdom has no king…." He cocked his head to the side and mocked Ahmose with a fake frown, "How sad."

"What do you want!" Ahmose was stern.

Vincent observed Ahmose for a few moments, "You're different, aren't you?"

Ahmose stood his ground.

Vincent continued, "You're not from the moon at all…. You're an Earthling."

Ahmose's anger grew, he ignored Vincent's last comment and spoke with more sternness than before, "Where is Queen Beryl?"

Vincent blinked, his black eyes were taunting, "Beryl?" He laughed, "Queen Beryl works for me."

Ahmose shoved his sword only a few centimeters in front of Vincent's face. Vincent did not flinch, instead, he laughed.

"Do _not_ let me say it again!" Ahmose said, "What is it that you want?"

Instead of the creepy laughter and smile that Vincent showed before, his face and voice became angry and abrupt, "How _dare_ you question my authority?"

Ahmose shoved the blade even closer, his anger matching that of Vincent's, "This is _my_ home, Vincent! _I_ have the authority!"

Vincent's face was hard as stone. His eyes were cold as he glared into Ahmose's eyes, sending a slight shiver down his spine.

When Vincent spoke, his voice was quieter, "I've come here to look for an heir."

Ahmose cocked his head slightly, confused by what Vincent was saying, "Heir?"

Vincent took a deep breath. He began to pace, and Ahmose noticed how pale his skin was in the Earth's glow and Moon's light combined. His jet-black hair was thick and a little shorter than Ahmose's own blonde hair, which curled at the ends. Vincent's black eyes were the one thing that truly struck Ahmose. He was drawn to them, like a moth to the flame. Ahmose had never seen black eyes in his life, and they captivated him, drawing out the darkest parts of Ahmose, making him hollow.

Vincent stopped his pacing and stared at Ahmose. This time Vincent's eyes seemed trusting and open, not as scary as they had been, "Ahmose, I am looking for an heir…." His tone almost seemed sad, and Ahmose even felt a little sympathy.

"How do you know my name?" Ahmose said softly.

A small smile crept up Vincent's cheeks, "I've been around for many years, young man. I know many things."

_Young man_? Ahmose was confused. Why was this guy calling him, _young man_, when they were practically around the same age? "How old are you?" he asked.

"5,000 years old."

Ahmose's eyes widened, he was skeptical but a part of him believed Vincent, how would he have known his name otherwise?

"You see, Queen Beryl isn't…." he paused and placed a hand on his chin, thinking of the right words, "She's not the perfect heir."

"To what throne?" Ahmose knew that if there was a perfect heir, there had to be a throne and an entire kingdom as well.

The creepy smile that always seemed to grace itself upon Vincent's face reappeared, except this time pearly white teeth were shone brightly, like stars in a black sky. Vincent took his time in replying but when he did his voice had an edge like a razorblade, "Only the greatest throne known to man!" There was a gleam in his shadowy eyes as he spoke again, "The entire galaxy!"

Ahmose frowned, anger clear in his eyes, "The galaxy? Are you serious? You plan on taking over the galaxy?"

Vincent laughed, "Taking over?" He laughed once again, sending another wave of shivers down Ahmose's spine, "No, no, I don't plan on taking over anything..." The next thing Vincent said made Ahmose's head spin and his anger boil until he was almost unable to control it, "Dear boy, I _own_ the galaxy."

"YOU OWN NOTHING!" Ahmose shouted.

"Calm yourself," Vincent cracked his usual smile, "Your anger will be the death of you."

Ahmose didn't care what Vincent said, he would fight back with force, "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now!"

Vincent folded his arms, never letting his smile leave, "Because you need me."

* * *

><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our lovely, Princess Serena, and her escort, High Priest Seto of Egypt."<p>

The guests applauded and cheered as Serena and Seto made their way down the pearly white staircase. Their arms were looped together, and Seto politely bowed to Serena as they reached the bottom of the stairwell. Serena smiled brightly to him and gave a gracious bow as well. Music began to play and people began to dance in a formal manor.

Seto gracefully offered his hand to Serena, "Princess?"

Joy filled Serena at how polite he was, "Yes?"

"Can I have this dance?"

Serena felt butterflies in her stomach and she smiled sweetly, "Of course." She took his hand and they made their way to the center of the ballroom. They began to dance. Serena's white gown flooded the ballroom as she twirled, and Seto's tan cloak twirled in time with her gown. They were spot-on with the music, and guests watched in awe at their grace and beauty of their dance.

Serena felt like she was in heaven. She'd never been a brilliant dancer, and she was always so nervous in front of people, but there was something about Seto that just calmed all of her nerves. His blue eyes gazed into hers, never looking away from her, and Serena felt the butterflies grow. It was almost as though she felt complete with Seto, like there was no other person she'd rather be with at that particular moment. That's when it hit her…. Endymion was never right for her to begin with. Serena smiled to herself at her new realization.

She gripped his hand just a bit tighter and said, "You're a wonderful dancer, Seto."

He smiled, "Thank you, you're not so bad yourself."

Serena laughed, "I really am not. I'm horrible."

Seto giggled, "Don't be silly. You are wonderful." There was a caring look in his eyes that Serena hadn't seen before. It intrigued her and she couldn't help but return the same look. The two of them smiled, both knowing that they'd found something worth keeping.

* * *

><p>Queen Serenity and Pharaoh Atem walked throughout the ballroom looking for Princess Serena.<p>

"I hope she's around here somewhere," Queen Serenity said to Atem, "and I pray that she is doing alright and isn't too upset about Endymion."

Atem stopped walking and looked towards the center of the ballroom.

Serenity noticed that the pharaoh had stopped and asked, "What's wrong?"

The pharaoh smiled and said, "I think your daughter is doing just fine."

Queen Serenity made her way over to Atem to see what he was seeing. Sure enough, there was Serena. She was dancing with Atem's High Priest. They were smiling, and Serena looked quite happy.

"I haven't seen Seto this happy in awhile," Atem said.

Serenity nodded, "They do look rather happy don't they?"

Atem nodded in agreement and looked up at Serenity with seriousness and certainty, "Looks like you do not have to worry about your daughter for awhile, she is in the care of High Priest Seto, she will be safe."

"I agree," Serenity said, "but we must act quickly if we want it to stay that way."

"Yes, we have to locate Beryl." And with that the two monarchs made their way out of the ballroom remarkably unnoticed by any of the guests.

* * *

><p>The night was drawing to a close and Seto and Serena had made their way to the balcony in Serena's bedroom. The two held hands as they gazed upon the stars and the Earth.<p>

"What's it like?" Serena asked.

"What is what like?"

"Earth," Serena asked, "I have heard it's green and lush with life."

Seto chuckled, "Not where I'm from."

Serena tilted her head to look at him. She could never seem to get enough of his sapphire blue eyes. She waited for him to continue.

"You see, Egypt is located in the middle of a desert."

"Desert?"

Seto smiled, "You have never heard of a desert?"

Serena shook her head.

"It's like a sea of sand, there's no green for miles, except for on the shore of the Nile."

"Nile?"

"The Nile River," Seto explained, "It's Egypt's lifeline."

"Sounds interesting," Serena said, "I want to go to Egypt one day." There was a long moment of silence until Serena turned to face Seto. She gripped both of his hands firmly, "Will you take me with you, Seto?"

"Take you to Earth?"

Serena nodded, "Yes, take me with you when you leave."

Seto frowned slightly, "Princess, I don't think I can do that."

"Why not!" Serena exclaimed, "I want to go," she let go of his hands and turned away from him, "I thought you would enjoy taking me with you…."

Seto's frown grew, "I would, Serena, I just can't…. I am sorry…."

"Why can't you?"

Seto sighed, "Because, I have given my loyalties to the Pharaoh. I cannot betray him and your mother by taking you with me. It wouldn't be right."

Serena turned towards him with a scowl on her face, "you certainly _can_ take me with you…. you just do not want to!"

Seto's frown and frustration grew. Why did this have to be so difficult? Why couldn't she just understand that he wanted her to come, but he just couldn't bring her? "Serena, I don't want to hurt you, but-"

Serena cut him off, "But what, Seto? Just another excuse for you to not want me, isn't it?"

Seto was taken aback, "Not want you?"

Serena spoke quickly, taking a couple steps closer to him until their faces were inches apart, "You know, I was just beginning to like you…. but I guess you don't feel the same…."

Her words made Seto's ears ring, "Of course I like you, Serena!"

"Then show it!" The words were like venom and they ate away at Seto's conscience like a cobra bite infecting the bloodstream.

"I felt something tonight," Serena admitted, "You've taken a piece of me…. A piece of my heart…."

Seto reached for her hand and placed it upon his heart, "Do you feel it, Princess?"

Serena was instantly calmed by his touch and she closed her eyes. She concentrated on the small thumps hitting the palm of her hand, "Yes, I feel it."

"From here on out, every heartbeat, is yours."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed Chapter 3! I'm so so so so so so SO sorry if this was a little confusing to any of you! I PROMISE you it will all be explained in the next chapter. If you have any questions of suggestions for me, please let me know, send me a PM and I will get back to you.**

**Please review and let me know what you thought! Reviews are like Christmas presents hahaha!**


	4. Apprenticeship

**A/N: I am honestly so sorry I haven't updated in almost two months. I know I say this every time, but seriously, I apologize. Anyway, please enjoy!**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 4- Apprenticeship<p>

Isis saw it, burning in her minds eye like she was staring into Egypt's scorching sun. Nothing would be able to stop the inevitable which she had just envisioned. The Millennium Necklace granted her the incredible power to predict the future, and this time the future was grim. She saw her death, and the death of the entire Moon Kingdom. She knew this was destined to happen, but why was destiny so cruel, and why was death so hard to accept? No matter what, death was unavoidable. It didn't matter who you were, or where you lived, or what sort of power you possessed, death was always the future for everyone. The hardest thing about death was facing it, and coming to terms with it.

Isis' strides were long and her pace was quick as she tried to locate the Pharaoh. Surely he knew what was happening, but Isis needed to be assured of that. If neither the Pharaoh nor Queen Serenity knew of the attack that was about to take place on the Moon Kingdom soon, then there was no hope of survival. Isis had seen the attack approaching at a rapid rate and she had informed Seto, but was unsure if the High Priest had told the Pharaoh.

She clutched the golden eye on her Millennium Necklace, '_Why didn't Seto take this from me?'_ Isis thought, _'It's only causing me more visions and more agony the longer I am with it.'_ She knew why Seto didn't take it. He didn't want her to give up hope, which Isis completely understood, but she had no use for it now. It would've been better off with Seto than her….

Isis entered the ballroom area of the palace. The gorgeous white marble flooring seemed to sparkle from the white light that filled the room. Isis sighed, wishing she could've enjoyed this night rather than mourn it, but fate was harsh and Isis took a moment for herself, soaking in the white bliss of the large ballroom.

She closed her eyes and prayed to the gods that they would bide her some time to find the Pharaoh and say goodbye….

* * *

><p>Ahmose was frozen. His sword clutched in his clammy hands protecting him from the unknown being in front of him. His mind was swirling with unpleasantness as he tried to keep his composure.<p>

Ahmose wondered how someone who was virtually unknown could claim to be ruler of the entire galaxy. It didn't make sense. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing that was making Ahmose's skin crawl, it was the fact that Vincent knew Ahmose's name, he knew of him. This _supposed_ ruler of the galaxy knew of Ahmose, but Ahmose knew nothing of Vincent and what he was capable of.

There were only a few things that Ahmose was sure of. Queen Beryl was Vincent's apprentice, working for him, doing Vincent's dirty work, like attempting to destroy the Moon Kingdom. Vincent was 5,000 years old. How he was that old was beyond Ahmose, but for some reason Ahmose knew he wasn't lying to him. Lastly, according to Vincent, Queen Beryl wasn't Vincent's _perfect heir_ to the throne of the galaxy.

Ahmose wished he knew how these pieces fit into the big puzzle. He wished he hadn't been sent out to the outer part of the palace by himself, now facing Vincent, now facing questionable temptation….

"Tell me Ahmose," Vincent said as he began to slightly pace, "don't you think that _you _deserve to be king of the Moon Kingdom?"

Ahmose didn't reply. Of course he thought that he should be crowned king, he was from Earth, but Prince Endymion was the Prince of Earth and was chosen by Princess Serena. Ahmose was just a knight. A knight who wanted more….

"Prince Endymion was never meant to be king," Vincent said, "If he were, he would have claimed his place as king and stayed with the princess, am I correct?"

Ahmose only nodded. It was like he had lost the ability to speak. Words just weren't coming.

"I know a great amount of knowledge, Ahmose," Vincent cocked his head to the side and smirked, "Am I correct in saying that the first Earthling to set foot on the Moon is to be crowned king?"

There was a lump in Ahmose's throat. He fell silent, but he didn't need to speak, Vincent had already knew he was right. The first Earthling to set foot on the Moon was to be crowned the first king of the Moon Kingdom.

"And assuming that my knowledge doesn't fail me, you, Ahmose, are the very first Earthling to set foot on the Moon." Vincent's eyes seemed to glow with a fire that wasn't there before. Maybe it was because Vincent knew he was right.

A long moment passed before either one of them said anything, but Ahmose had found his voice once again and spoke in a hardy tone, "I am the first Earthling to set foot on the Moon, but my destiny is to serve the kingdom as the Highest Noble Knight."

Vincent spoke quickly and the fire in his eyes sparked a bigger flame, "But you want _more_! You deserve more!"

"I don't need to be king, the princess has made her choice," Ahmose said, defending his place.

The flame had burst. The fire was unleashed and Ahmose could practically feel its scorching heat. Vincent's eyes roared with a captivating poison and Ahmose could not look away. Vincent spoke with strength and enticement, "It is your destiny."

Ahmose swallowed hard, he had a choice to make. Ask what he could do to retrieve his thrown, or defend the people who seemed to have neglected his proper position, making _him_ serve _them_, when it should have been the other way around this whole time….

The pause was excruciating, but when Ahmose spoke, he was a different man, "What do I have to do?"

The snake-like smile crept up the corners of Vincent's lips.

* * *

><p>Isis darted quickly through the ballroom, dodging party guests and dancers. She was on a mission and nothing was stopping her, her life depended on it. After scanning the entire ballroom, Isis came to the conclusion the Pharaoh wasn't here. She had to find him, and fast. She lightly touched her Millennium Necklace and it gave her a small vision of where to locate the Pharaoh.<p>

Immediately, Isis ran towards the exit. She ran as fast as she could. There were people giving her the strangest looks, but Isis didn't care, those people _needed _her to run if they even wanted a chance to live.

Once outside, Isis saw the Pharaoh walking towards the outskirts of the palace with Queen Serenity at his side. She was gasping for air but she didn't stop running.

"Pharaoh!" Isis screamed breathlessly as she kept a steady pace towards the two monarchs.

Pharaoh Atem and Queen Serenity stopped walking and turned around abruptly.

"Isis?" Atem said, and then he noticed her bolting towards them, "Isis!" he yelled he began to run to her, "What's the matter?"

They met halfway, Isis bent over gasping for air, she began to speak in choppy phrases to catch her breath, "Ph-Pharaoh, I-I've been looking all over for you."

"What is it Isis?" Atem was concerned and he feared the worst.

"Pharaoh, I've had a vision. Queen Beryl will be here soon…." She trailed off to collect herself, "And…. We shall perish."

Atem didn't know what to say to her, luckily Queen Serenity appeared next to them, "What is the matter?" she asked.

Atem took a few moments to think of what he was going to say to her, "Isis has…. Seen a vision…." When Serenity didn't reply he continued, "She's seen a vision of Queen Beryl arriving soon…."

Serenity cocked her head to the side, giving Atem a slight stare, she knew there was more. No way would Isis run as fast as she physically could to find the Pharaoh if there wasn't more than that. Serenity gave Atem another prying look and he finally caved, "She's seen us dying Serenity…."

The queen blinked a couple times before putting her hand to her mouth. Her face was stressed and the smallest of sobs came from her throat. Even though she knew that she was going to die, hearing it again and that her death would be soon was a little too much for her. Surprisingly, she kept her composure and turned to the Pharaoh, "What're we going to do?"

Atem knew the answer to that but he refused to say it, instead he said it only to himself, _'die.'_

* * *

><p>The balcony in Serena's room was sparkling from the soft light glowing off of the marble it was made of. Seto and Serena were sharing a beautiful moment in the balcony's threshold. Seto squeezed Serena's hand tightly as he positioned her to face him. He wanted nothing more than to kiss Serena, let her know how much he cared about her. He brushed his hand lightly over her porcelain-skinned face and raised her chin up, rubbing his thumb over her rosy lips. They gazed into each others eyes assuring the other that they were going to be alright. Seto's mouth was mere centimeters from grazing her lips when he suddenly pulled away.<p>

The Millennium Rod glowed at his side, as he touched it he realized exactly what he had just felt. Seto felt the Pharaoh contacting him using the Millennium Puzzle. This was an emergency.

Serena stared at him with deep concern in her ocean blue eyes, "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

"Yes," Seto confirmed, he braced her shoulders, "I need to bring you to your mother."

Serena blinked a couple times in confusion, "What? Why?"

"Queen Beryl."

Seto and Serena made their way through the palace, not wasting any time as they did so. Seto lead the way with Serena following closely behind. They dashed around corners and hallways until they finally made it outdoors. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath. Seto scanned the Moon's plain for the Pharaoh and Queen Serenity. Far in the distance he spotted three figures.

Seto abruptly grabbed Serena's hand, "Let's go."

She nodded and they ran, Seto still holding her hand.

* * *

><p>"Ahmose should be out there," Serenity pointed to a spot in the outskirt of the palace, "He's searching for any sign of Beryl. If she's here, then we will know, Ahmose will come straight to me and tell me himself."<p>

"Or defend his kingdom instead…." Atem said. He had a feeling that evil had arrived and Ahmose might already be dead trying to defend everyone. If he was alive, he'd be here by now.

"What are you trying to say, Atem?" Queen Serenity asked a worried tone etching in her voice.

Atem took a deep breath, "What I'm saying is we do not have time to wait for Ahmose. We need to send forces to the outskirts to find and kill Beryl."

Serenity placed her fingers slightly on her lips and thought for a moment, "We cannot. If we send forces, the party guests might panic. We do not want them knowing what's going on."

Atem nodded, "I agree, we need to get rid of this problem and quickly, before anyone gets hurt." The Pharaoh turned to face Isis, "Go find Ahmose, and quickly."

Isis bowed and before she left, she took them Millennium Necklace off and handed it to the Pharaoh, "This is yours, Pharaoh. In case anything was to happen to me, I would want you to have it."

"Isis, you need this more than I do," Atem tried handing it back to her but she refused.

"_You_ need it more than I do," she gave Atem a sad smile, "Farewell my king…."

"Isis, do not say your goodbyes quite yet, this isn't over…."

Isis smiled once again; this smile was a little brighter, "just in case."

Atem nodded and placed the Millennium Necklace in his pocket as Isis turned and left, heading towards where Ahmose was.

"Pharaoh!" a familiar voice shouted. Atem and Serenity turned around and saw Seto and Serena coming towards them.

"Seto! I'm glad to see you!" Atem shouted.

"Mom!" Serena yelled as she ran into her mothers arms.

"Serena! Are you alright? How are you feeling?"

"Fine, but Seto said there was some sort of emergency and I needed to see you right away. Is everything okay, mom?"

Serenity didn't reply right away. She couldn't lie, everything was not okay, but could she tell her daughter that?

Atem placed his hands around his Millennium Puzzle and took a long, deep breath. He spoke to Seto in a tone more serious than he had ever heard from the Pharaoh, "Seto, you are the only one that I can trust to keep the peace in Egypt. Please, take care of it; fulfill my father's dream of peace in our country."

Seto was taken aback, "What?"

Pharaoh Atem took off his Millennium Puzzle that was dangling from his neck, "I want you to have this."

"P-p-pardon?" Seto fumbled with his words.

"Seto, you are now King of Egypt."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope all of you enjoyed that! Please let me know what you think! Your reviews help me to become a better writer, and anything helps! :)**


	5. Hope Crumbling

**A/N: I updated in a weeks time! This makes me so happy! It must be a new record for me, hahaha!**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 5- Hope Crumbling<p>

At that particular moment, nothing seemed real. Seto's ears were ringing from the words Atem had just spoken: _'Seto, you are now King of Egypt.'_ The once High Priest didn't know what to think. Had the Pharaoh gone mad? Was he losing his mind? Was Seto dreaming? Seto wished it wasn't a dream, for he didn't want to give up everything he had with Serena, the moment that they had _almost _shared on her balcony in the princess' beautiful palace, and now to be crowned _King_? For the gods' sake, this better _not_ be a dream!

It was at least a minute before anyone had said anything. The Pharaoh had finally said something, "Seto?"

Seto's words were choppy; he was so nervous, "Y-y-yes m-my king?"

"It is you who is now king," Atem smiled with pride. He had always wanted Seto to become the next King of Egypt, and he was grateful he had such a worthy High Priest for the job.

"B-but Pharaoh I-"

"Look after Egypt for me," Atem said, cutting him off, "Take care of our people."

Seto took a deep breath, "Forgive me, but I do not understand. What is the meaning of this? Why are you offering the throne to me?"

"You seem to be the only one worthy of it, Seto," The Pharaoh said without hesitation.

Seto still didn't understand, "But why?"

Atem took a long, fulfilled breath before he explained everything to Seto, "I am intrusting you with my kingdom because my time is up. I must stay here and protect The Moon Kingdom. I have already locked away my soul in the Millennium Puzzle, I shall return one day. Do not worry, Seto, I will always be with you, as long as you hold onto the puzzle."

High Priest Seto bowed for the last time to his former king. Atem wrapped the puzzle around his neck, "Rise King Seto, new Pharaoh of Egypt." Atem bowed before his successor and smiled broadly, for he was happy that Seto could take over the throne before it was too late.

"Thank you," Pharaoh Seto said as he smiled timidly.

"I fear disaster, Seto, that is why you must head back towards Egypt," Atem said, "You must go quickly if Egypt has any chance of having a surviving heir."

"Yes, my Pharaoh," Seto said without even thinking about it.

Atem chuckled quietly to himself and then became serious, "Leave now if you want Egypt to still have a chance."

Seto simply nodded. He looked over at Serena who seemed to be a little stunned by the whole situation that had just gone down. He realized that it wasn't just a slight wave of shock that was evident in Serena's eyes, it was sadness. Seto knew instantly, from the look in her eyes, that he couldn't leave her here to possibly die. Seto's heart wretched in seeing her sadness and he was about to say something to Serena when Serenity spoke up.

"Pharaoh Seto, please take Serena with you."

Silence filled the air around them. Serena spoke after a few moments, her voice barely audible, "Mother? Why? I cannot leave you…."

Serenity grabbed Serena's arms and held them tightly, as to assure her that everything was going to be alright, "You must go, darling. It is the only other option for the Moon Kingdom. We are under attack."

"But I can't leave you!" Serena yelled, tears were falling down her cheeks, "I can't leave you mom…."

Serenity smiled faintly, "Oh, sweetheart…." She didn't know what to say. Serenity knew she was going to die soon. She just didn't want her fate to also be her daughter's, "You must go. Go to Earth and live. You will die if you stay here."

Serena looked over to Seto who seemed to be waiting for her to make a decision. She knew he needed one fast, "Mom!" Serena shouted as she leapt into her mothers loving arms, "I don't want to say goodbye!"

Serenity stroked her daughter's beautiful blonde hair with her index finger, "You will never have to say it, darling. I will always be with you. I love you."

Serena sniffled, "I love you too."

"Serena?" Seto held out his hand for her and smiled. Serena felt a wave of comfort radiating from Seto. Even though everything was not fine, she somehow knew that it was going to be, and being with Seto made it much more possible to confront this sad day. Serena never thought that she'd be leaving her mother like this, her heart sank, and she dreaded her mother's fate.

Serena gave Serenity one last tight hug, and slowly she let go and walked towards Seto, never taking her gaze off of her mother's loving, gray eyes. Before she took Seto's hand she mouthed, '_I love you_,' to Serenity.

Serenity nodded and let a tear fall, '_I love you too_,' she mouthed back.

Slowly, Serena turned to face Seto. There were tears in her eyes, but she wasn't scared anymore. There was a determined look in her eyes that proved that she was a strong girl. Serena took Seto's hand firmly and graced him with a slight smile. Seto smiled back at her reassuringly.

"Seto," Atem said as he dug his hand into his side pocket to dig out the Millennium Necklace that Isis had given him, "Take this as well. Isis gave it to me," he paused for a moment, "I'm afraid she will not be needing it anymore. It belongs with you back in Egypt."

Seto grabbed the necklace and placed it in his pocket, "Thank you," he said, and Seto and Serena walked away quickly.

* * *

><p>Isis wandered to the edge of the outskirts of the palace. Ahmose was nowhere in sight and she was starting to worry. Had something happened to him? Was he hurt? Was he dead? Just then, a terrible thought crossed Isis' mind. Was she next?<p>

Isis shook her head slightly to rid herself of that thought. She needed to stop thinking about life and death. This was about finding Ahmose and that alone, nothing more.

Isis walked a little further, wishing that the outskirts weren't so creepy. There seemed to be a haze in the air, and Isis did not have a good feeling about this. She needed to find Ahmose and _fast_, before she got way too freaked out. The air seemed to be getting foggier, and Isis was tempted to turn around and go back, but not fulfilling the Pharaoh's request never would sit well with her, she would feel too guilty. On top of that, she would be letting down Queen Serenity, and that was unacceptable.

The fog was getting way too thick, Isis could barely see anymore. She didn't want to leave without Ahmose, so she called out his name through the deep fog, "Ahmose, Ahmose are you out here?"

Silence filled her ears, sending a chill up her spine. _'Something's not right about this,'_ Isis thought as she turned her head and body to look all around her. She couldn't see anything, and if there was an enemy out here, she wouldn't be able to see them until it was too late.

She called out Ahmose's name once more, a little quieter this time, "Ahmose? Can you hear me? Are you out here? Ahmose…."

A cool gust of wind brushed Isis' back. She froze in place, too afraid to turn around. A large, muscular arm wrapped around her neck. Isis gasped as loudly as she could, but she was caught in a chokehold.

A dark, sly voice spoke with edginess, "You called?"

Isis couldn't breathe. She was terrified, but she knew who had caught her by his response. Before Isis could even fight back and try to speak, a swift, silver blade flashed in front of her eyes, and before she knew it, everything was black….

* * *

><p>Seto and Serena were rushing across the Moon's dusty plain. Seto was in a hurry to make it off of the luminous rock before it would be too late. Finding a safe place for Serena and him to leave was his first priority. He vowed to protect her with everything in him, and that's exactly what he was going to do.<p>

They made their way around the backside of the palace, far enough away to not be spotted by anyone, but close enough incase they needed shelter. They stopped to take a couple breaths. Serena spoke, "Are we going to be okay here?" She asked him with a shaky voice.

At first Seto wasn't sure if her voice was shaky from running or if it was her nerves. He replied with a simple, "Yes."

Serena was silent, staring up at him. She wanted him to say more, to tell her that everything was going to be alright and that there was nothing to fear. His simple, 'yes,' didn't really do too much for Serena's confidence.

Seto thought about Serena's safety on their journey back to Egypt. He knew that traveling using the Millennium Items was a dangerous task. The magic within them was often unpredictable, and even the simplest of spells could backfire due to a wrong pronunciation. Seto didn't want to risk losing Serena over something so preventable. Maybe if she had a Millennium Item with her she would be safer? He thought long and hard about it and decided that he would test it. If the Millennium Item interacted with Serena in a comfortable way, then she was safe to travel with one of the items, thus making her travel to Egypt slightly safer. Seto reached for his trusted Millennium Rod on his belt. He held it up and studied it for a few moments. The Millennium Rod had always connected with Seto the best, and he had known how to interact with it for a very long time.

"Serena?"

She smiled, "Seto?"

Seto handed her the Millennium Rod, "Hold onto this throughout our journey to Egypt. It should keep you safe."

Serena took the Millennium Rod and was shocked by how heavy it was. It was made out of pure gold after all; of course it would be heavy. The Egyptian eye in the center started to glow a light, golden color. Serena found herself entranced by its beauty.

"Good," Seto said, "It seems to be making a connection with you. Do you feel its power flowing through you?"

Serena nodded. She didn't know how to respond. The Millennium Rod was sending small, energy-like tremors through her veins and it left her in a state of slight awe. After a minute or so Serena spoke, her voice soft, "Why do you want me to make a connection with this item?"

"Because I want to make sure that you are safe on our journey," Seto explained, "The Millennium Rod has been my Millennium Item for a very long time. I have learned how to use its power well. When a Millennium Item makes a connection with a person, that bond is forever. Since you and I have made a connection to the Millennium Rod, I am now able to keep you safer, know where you are during our travel."

Serena nodded her head, trying to comprehend, "How are you able to keep me safe without the possession of the Millennium Rod?"

Seto held up the Millennium Puzzle, "Through this. The Millennium Items can communicate and interact with one another. Since I know how to connect to the Millennium Rod, it won't be too difficult to contact you using the Millennium Puzzle, or," Seto dug into his pocket and pulled out the Millennium Necklace, "this."

Serena smiled. She now understood. Seto was making sure that their travel using the Egyptian magic was going to go smoothly. Now that Serena felt completely connected with the Millennium Rod, she felt safer about the journey too. She could also somehow feel Seto, in a different way now. It was as though the Rod was showing her Seto's feelings and thoughts. Serena blushed when she could sense that she was on Seto's mind.

Seto sensed Serena using the Millennium Rod's power to locate his thoughts. He was only embarrassed for a moment. The feeling disappeared when Serena reached up and touched his cheeks, rubbing them lightly with her thumbs. She pulled his face closer to hers and softly placed her lips on his cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ear, "for everything."

* * *

><p>Blood was dripping from the end of his silver blade and onto his armored feet. Ahmose took in a few deep breaths before he looked down at Isis' mangled body, her head detached. Ahmose was shocked at what he'd just done. Why? What was the purpose? Killing Isis didn't bring him any closer to becoming king, so why did he just slaughter an innocent woman? This was not right!<p>

In furry Ahmose shouted, "Vincent! VINCENT!"

Out from the fog, Vincent appeared, as if on cue. He grinned, "I see you are not happy with the task I've assigned to you."

"Absolutely not!" Ahmose shouted, "You said that killing would bring me closer to the thrown! You said it would bring me _satisfaction_!" Ahmose stomped his foot in rage and screamed, "YOU'VE TURNED ME INTO A MURDER!"

Vincent held up his hands in defense, "I did nothing of the sort!" He dropped his hands and pointed to Isis' body, "This is phase one, Ahmose….This is where the anger is born….The next step is…."

"Is what?" Ahmose asked, fairly confused.

Vincent crept over to Ahmose and picked up the bloody blade that was still interlocked in Ahmose's hands. Ahmose didn't let go and Vincent placed his hands over Ahmose's. Vincent spoke in a cunning tone of voice, "Ahmose, you've just murdered an innocent woman…. You must feel horrible?"

Ahmose didn't move. He didn't even flinch when Vincent touched him. It was as if Ahmose was caught in a daze, and Vincent had him right where he wanted him.

Vincent grinned, "You want to be king, but what truly honorable king kills innocent?" Vincent paused and his grin doubled in size, "Honorable rulers do the right thing. Only an honorable king would take his own life as an equal offering after murdering an innocent, am I correct?"

Ahmose's mouth dropped, was Vincent really asking him to kill himself to make amends?

"I take your look of shock and silence as a yes," Vincent moved the sword to a proper angle, "To live," Vincent grinned, "you must die…."

Ahmose continued to clutch the weapon, he allowed Vincent to move the blade wherever.

"Once you complete this next phase, your reign will begin. You will return and claim your throne," and with that Vincent adjusted the sword so that the tip was pointed at Ahmose's chest. With a painless and graceful push, Ahmose and Vincent shoved the sword deep into Ahmose's heart.

The last thing Ahmose saw was Vincent's horrid grin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for such a gruesome chapter, and a short chapter. The next one will be longer (cross fingers), so please review! Thank you! :)**


	6. If I Die Young

**A/N: Hello again! Just want to let everyone know that I've been writing vigorously! I'm really getting into this and I am so pleased to have shared this story with everyone so far. Just an FYI, this is the last chapter that will take place in the past, and by past I mean like The Moon Kingdom and Ancient Egypt stuff haha. Chapter 7 will take place in present day. Just want to thank everyone for reading and continuing to read my story thus far. There will be plenty more to come and so much to look forward to. **

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 6- If I Die Young….<p>

Queen Beryl stepped onto the dusty surface of the moon, her long, purple gown filling out around her. She smirked as she took a good look around. She was on the outskirts of the palace, well hidden from Queen Serenity and whatever forces the moon queen had harbored. Queen Beryl quickly found who she was looking for. A few paces away, Vincent was crouching over something.

Queen Beryl walked swiftly over to him and kneeled, "My Lord, the forces are ready, do I have your permission to execute an attack?"

Vincent stood up and examined a shiny, silver blade that had a crescent moon symbol engraved in the handle. The blade was also covered in fresh blood that was dripping onto Vincent's hands.

Beryl wondered where the blood had come from and what Vincent had been crouching over, there was nothing on the ground where he was.

Minutes past before Vincent spoke, he was deep in thought and decided that making Beryl wait there on her hands and knees was good for her. He smirked when he glanced at the blade one last time before turning to Beryl. The smirk quickly faded and anger replaced itself upon Vincent's dark features of his face, "Kill them all…. Every last one of them."

Queen Beryl grinned darkly, "As you wish, my Lord."

* * *

><p>The wind blew around Queen Serenity's white hair and gown. She was terrified for her daughter, <em>'I hope Seto's brought her out of here by now,'<em> she thought as she turned to the former Pharaoh of Egypt, Atem. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be praying or meditating of some sort, Serenity would've too if she weren't so worried about her daughter.

"Atem…."

He turned to her, "Serenity?"

Queen Serenity swallowed hard, her throat was dry because she was so nervous, "Could you bring the armies out for me?"

"And leave you out here all by yourself?"

"Someone has to," She put on her bravest face, "the armies need to be brought out, and I would rather be the first person that Beryl sees when she attacks my kingdom."

"You do know that she might not be the first to attack," Atem perceived, "Her forces might attack firs-"

Serenity cut him off quickly, "Please Atem…."

Atem didn't like the idea of leaving her alone, but this was her kingdom. She was also still a monarch, unlike him, she still had authority. He needed to respect that, "As you wish, Serenity," he bowed slightly and ran off towards the palace.

Serenity watched him run off. The presence of the threatening forces was growing and Serenity knew she needed to see for herself that Serena was safe. She just couldn't go with Atem, he would have told her to stay behind and trust Seto. Serenity didn't feel the same way; she had to see with her own eyes that Serena was gone.

Like a bolt of lightning, Serenity ran in the direction her precious daughter.

* * *

><p>The air was beginning to feel ominous. Both Seto and Serena felt it creeping up on them like the night when it first sets in. The sky was clouding over, and the wind was picking up fast. Everything about this night would've been horrible if it weren't for the feelings Seto and Serena were harboring for each other. Seto was just crowned king, and the Moon Princess was finally going to become a queen….hopefully….<p>

Serena gazed into Seto's gorgeous blue eyes. She hadn't seen anything like them in her whole life, they were absolutely breathtaking. Even though Serena was terribly nervous, just being within Seto's presence calmed her nerves.

Seto gently held her face in his hands. He could tell she was nervous and he wanted to let her know that it was going to be alright, that they were going to make it out alive. Seto had to make her feel safe, he rubbed her rosy cheeks in soothing circles with his thumbs, "Serena, listen," he began, "Everything is going to be alright. Promise me before we leave that you won't give up on me, alright? Promise me that you will stay close…." He paused, nervous to say what needed to be said, "Serena, I can't do this without you."

It felt like a thousand years before Serena spoke, her mixture of nerves and excitement causing a brawl within her, "Seto, I promise, no matter what happens nothing will take me from you. We will be together."

Seto gleamed; joy had suddenly filled his heart. The reassurance from Serena made their journey back to Earth much easier for him to bear. He took her hand and gripped it firmly, "Ready?" he said. He grabbed the Millennium Puzzle with his other hand and it began to glow.

Serena smiled up at him, tightening her grip around the Millennium Rod and Seto's hand, "Yes," she nodded.

Seto opened his mouth to speak when the ground beneath them started to falter and shake.

Serena looked up at him with a terrified expression on her face, "What's happening!" She shrieked.

"SERENA!"

Seto and Serena turned around to see Queen Serenity attempting to make her way over to them, the ground was shaking as if there were an earthquake, making it nearly impossible for Serenity to get to them.

"MOM!" Serena shouted before the ground collapsed beneath her. She stumbled on the moon rocks, slipping into a hole in the ground. Luckily, Seto caught her before she slipped too far down, and with all of his might he pulled her up and out of the pit.

The looming, dark clouds above quickly dropped down to the surface of the moon like smoke, their purplish hue thickening and covering everything in a blanket of fog.

* * *

><p>When Atem entered the inside of the palace, there was no one to be found. Even in the ballroom, where the party was supposed to be taking place, no one was there. It was almost as if everyone had vanished in thin air. <em>'Maybe they knew there was danger and hid?'<em> Atem thought, trying to be optimistic if only to disappoint himself even more when he searched more rooms and found absolutely nothing.

Atem opened the door to the meeting room where he and Serenity had been earlier, discussing the issue that was currently at hand. The room was empty. The chairs that lined up beside the long table in the center of the room were vacant, and all of the side doors that entered to other rooms were closed. The palace was a ghost town.

Before Atem turned to leave, he caught sight of something from the corner of his eye. A motion stirred from the farthest chair at the head of the table. The back of the chair was facing Atem, and at first he wondered if he had just imagined the slightest movement, but it stirred once more. Atem stared at it for a long time before deciding it was his mind playing tricks on him, and he opened the door to walk away.

"Where are you going, Pharaoh?"

Atem swung around and looked at the chair. Nothing moved. No one spoke. Was his mind really playing tricks like this? He decided that he needed to say something to confirm it, "Who is there?"

Silence lingered and Atem stood still, _'Maybe it was just my imagination….'_ He mused.

"I am appalled, Pharaoh," A man sitting in the head chair stood up, "that you would reduce me to just a simple 'figure of your imagination'."

Atem was shocked into silence. He couldn't even tell that there had been somebody there at all. This entire situation was confusing.

The man laughed, his grin sending chills up Atem's back, "I guess I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, I did hide pretty well…. And so did everyone else, my forces have taken care of them." The man laughed like a maniac, his eyes were dark with hair that matched.

"Who are you?" Atem asked, growing nervous.

Vincent smiled and bowed to Atem, "Anything for the Pharaoh, I am Vincent."

"What are you doing here?"

The smile vanished from Vincent's face, his voice became somber, "Taking action, and giving my authority."

Atem furrowed his brows, "Giving _your_ authority? What _authority_ do you have?"

"This is my world, Atem!" Vincent shouted, "I call the shots. I am the supreme ruler!"

Atem was too taken aback to say anything. This man was a complete psycho and he knew Atem's name. Atem hadn't even mentioned his name, so how did Vincent know? Maybe it was because he was a former pharaoh?

Vincent took a deep, exasperated breath, "And, here I am, being questioned of my authority, of my place in my universal palace…. It's quite sad actually, that a strong man of your caliber had to be reduced to nothing."

"What are you talking about, Vincent?"

Vincent marched toward Atem at a frightening speed. Atem tried to make a run for it, but the door slammed shut on its own. Atem gripped the handle and tried twisting and turning it, but it was locked.

"There's nowhere to run!" Vincent yelled. He cornered Atem and grabbed his neck, holding him up in the air, "Time to die, Pharaoh!" Vincent laughed hysterically while holding Atem in a death grip, choking every last bit of life out of the former king.

Atem hardly had time to think. Vincent had jumped him too quickly, and now everything was going dark. The last thing Atem could think of was the Millennium Puzzle, and his soul that resided within it. He could feel his body fleeting from him and his connection to the puzzle growing stronger. Physical life had escaped him, and spiritual life had just begun.

* * *

><p>"Seto, listen," Serena whispered through the thick, purple cloud, "I need to say something."<p>

Seto looked down at her, taking both of her hands to sturdy them against the shaking ground under their feet, "What is it, Serena?"

"I cannot begin to understand what has happened today," she began, "but, I know…." she paused, and Seto saw the slightest trace of tears rolling down from her eyes, "I know that if I die, I will have lived a full life, a life where I received the beautiful gift of knowing you."

"Serena, don't talk like that," Seto scolded, "You cannot say things like that. We are not going to die."

Serena sniffled, "How can you be so sure?"

Seto tightened his grip on Serena's hands, trying to reassure her it was going to be okay. How could he think that way when he had such a bad feeling about this? Seto knew that no matter what, he had to tell her it was okay, that they were going to make it, "Trust me when I tell you that I have a strong feeling that you and I will be together for a long time."

"But feelings can be severed by fate!"

"Serena!" Seto raised his voice, "We mustn't worry."

"Seto, I…." She took a deep breath to gather up her feelings, "I lo-"

Serena was cut short by a thunderous noise and a blast of green light that broke the couple apart. In the distance, Serena could hear the blood curdling screams of her mother.

The purple fog cleared, revealing Queen Beryl. She sent Seto and Serena flying up in the air with another blast of green light.

As they were descending, Queen Beryl turned to Serena and aimed a lethal blast straight at her. Within seconds, all of Serena's other senses disappeared, the final thing she heard were the quiet, slowing thumps of her dying heartbeat.

"NO!" Serenity screamed at the top of her lungs.

Seto fell straight to the ground and groaned from the pain. The ground was still shifting below, making the fall incredibly worse. When he had the chance to look up the first thing he saw was Serena lying limp on the ground near him. He crawled as fast as he could toward her and attempted to take her pulse. Tears began to swell and flow when no pulse was felt, and Seto pounded his fist firmly onto the moving surface of the moon in a fit of rage.

The Millennium Rod shook in its place and Seto reached out to grasp it before it could fall into a sudden pit created from the quaking ground. He stared at it in his hands for a moment, and then using the Rod, said a healing spell to try and revive Serena. Nothing happened. She was gone, just like that, never to speak to Seto again.

Seto stroked the side of her face, removing stray blonde hair from her eyes, "Serena…." He whispered softly, "No…." Tears fell on her face like rain. Seto couldn't control it, he wanted nothing more than to protect her and he failed. He sprawled over Serena's body and sobbed. He felt as though a part of him had gone with her….

Serena lay motionless, besides the shaking ground all around her. She didn't respond. Seto thought she looked peaceful even though he couldn't come to terms that she had left him. He took her hand and kissed it softly, soaking in every last bit of her that he could before he stood. His body ached from the fall, but he continued to stand. He faced Queen Beryl.

"SETO!" Queen Serenity shouted from afar, "SETO!"

Seto ignored Serenity's cries and limped closer to Queen Beryl, determined to make her pay for what she had just done.

"SETO, PLEASE STOP!" Serenity shouted once more. When Seto didn't listen to her she pulled out the Silver Crystal. Serenity prepared herself for Queen Beryl's next blow.

Queen Beryl took aim at Seto who was making his way towards her, holding the Millennium Rod out defensively. Beryl blasted a stream of killer green light at Seto.

Before Seto could realize what was happening, he fell to the ground, unconscious….

* * *

><p>Vincent searched Atem's body for a Millennium Item, but none were found. <em>'How could the Pharaoh not have a Millennium Item on hand?'<em> Vincent thought, as his patience grew thin. He swung his hand at the marble wall in frustration, _'What kind of Pharaoh leaves himself defenseless?'_ Another thought occurred to him, _'What if Atem wasn't the Pharaoh?'_ Vincent yelled in a fit of anger. He had been searching for the wrong man. Atem had fooled _him_!

The building shook and Vincent decided to make his escape. Taking out Ahmose's sword and observing it, Vincent grinned, _'Ahmose, you have made the greatest sacrifice for the greatest empire to that has ever existed. Soon you will return and bring about the true wrath of my kingdom…. And so will I….'_

Blackness suddenly surrounded the room and Vincent soaked in its presence. Within a moment, he was gone….

* * *

><p>The Silver Crystal shined with impressive light, beaming with sacred power. Queen Serenity held it tightly, using it to defend herself. She made her way over to Seto with ease, the crystal negating all of Queen Beryl's blasts.<p>

Serenity bent over feeling for Seto's pulse. She hid back a smile and her relief when she found his faint heartbeat, not wanting Queen Beryl to know that he was alive. Seto would've died if Serenity hadn't used the crystal.

Serenity lightly touched the Millennium Puzzle that was around Seto's neck, knowing that he needed to go back to Egypt and attend to his kingdom. Using her ability's with the Silver Crystal, Serenity sent Seto back to Egypt. With a flash of white light he vanished.

Queen Beryl was preparing to take aim on Serenity, when something had struck the vicious queen square in the chest. The last thing Beryl saw was Queen Serenity, her arm stretched out, and her palm glowing. The moon queen had prevailed.

Queen Serenity took one last deep breath and held up the Silver Crystal, its power making it glow intensely, "Let your spirits live on." Sacrificing herself, Serenity used every ounce of her power she had to send the spirits of her Moon Kingdom to Earth.

Slowly, the body of the great moon queen fell, along with her once thriving kingdom….

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><p><strong>AN: Yes! I am so happy to have this chapter completed. I'm sorry it was so sad, I tried to base it off of the events that took place at the Moon Kingdom from the anime/manga, obviously adding my own twists hahaha. I hope you all enjoyed it! Please review! Thank you! **


	7. Ready or Not

**A/N: I am soooooooooooooo sorry! I've been incredibly busy! I wanted to update so much sooner but I couldn't. By the way, this is the first chapter of this story that takes place in the present day, also used the English names. Anddddddd, I changed Mai's age slightly to fit with the story line. I hope all of you enjoy this super late chapter haha.**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 7- Ready or Not<p>

Serena Tsukino shoved the last of her things into her shiny, red, brand-new Nissan Sentra. Her parents had bought her a new car as her going-off-to college gift if she kept up her grades during her senior year of high school. Serena had worked hard for it and was thankful for her new vehicle.

Serena was traveling to Domino City to attend The University of Domino City Japan. Serena had jitters. She was so excited to attend college. Serena had worried for a while during high school that she wasn't going to make it into a four-year university because some of her grades were below standard, but thankfully she made it. Freshman year of college was about to begin and Serena couldn't be more thrilled.

"Have a safe trip, sweetheart," Serena's mother said as she hugged Serena tightly, "Domino City is only forty-five minutes away, it's not that bad of a drive," Serena's mother said, trying to reassure her, "and remember if you ever need anything your father and I are always here for you."

Serena smiled, "Thanks mom," She let go of the embrace, "I promise to stay in-touch everyday."

Serena's father smiled broadly and spread his arms out wide, "Come here," he said.

Serena made her way over to her father and gave him a big hug, "I love you guys," she said, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"We know you'll get homesick, darling," Serena's father began, "the first month of college is always the hardest, but it'll get better, you've just got to tough it out. I promise you it will get better the longer you're there."

"Thanks dad," Serena said as she let go of the hug.

Luna, Serena's black cat, appeared from behind Serena's mother. Luna rubbed her face against Serena's leg and purred. "Luna!" Serena bent over and picked up the furry feline, "I'm going to miss you. Take care of the family for me, okay?" Luna continued to purr as Serena cradled the cat in her arms.

"We'll take good care of her," Serena's mother assured, "Like we always do."

Serena nodded, "I should get going," She handed Luna over to her mother, "Goodbye! I love you!"

Her parents nodded and Serena hopped into the driver's seat of her new Nissan Sentra. She turned the keys and the engine roared to life. Serena stuck her hand out of the window and waved to her parents. They waved back as Serena drove away.

* * *

><p>Seto Kaiba couldn't understand it all. Why was he doing this? Was this some kind of sick joke that someone was playing? Had something gone wrong with his company and he had no other option? Last time he checked his company was doing just fine. So what compelled him to do…. <em>this<em>?

Seto Kaiba, CEO and president of Kaiba Corporations, was driving his black Maserati to his very first day of college. Seto Kaiba was a billionaire, so what exactly compelled him to further his education when it was truly unnecessary? Kaiba had been pondering this thought all morning until it finally struck him _why_ he was doing _this_.

Mokuba Kaiba, Seto's younger sibling, had attempted to convince him to attend college saying, 'It would be a good experience.' Mokuba helped to convince him, but not completely. The media was dying to know what the young CEO's plans were and everything got so out of hand that even some of Kaiba Corps business partners were wanting Kaiba to take at least a few classes just to 'sharpen his skills.' It was all a bunch of bull crap to Kaiba, but in the end he decided it would be in his best interest to take a few credits.

So, to conclude Kaiba's thought process, all of this college nonsense was his own self-doing…._son of a bitch_! Now he was paying for it by taking a class that started at 7am every freaking weekday morning. How had he managed to get himself into this kind of predicament? Balancing college and a multi-billion dollar corporation was unheard of, and _somehow_ Seto Kaiba had to find a way to do it.

After about twenty minutes of driving and thinking, Kaiba pulled into the schools parking lot and cut the engine. He grabbed his book bag that was lying on the passenger seat and dug through it until he found the campus map. He checked to make sure he was parked by the correct building and began looking for the room number of his first class.

Students stared as Kaiba got out of his vehicle. It wasn't everyday that a college student was driving a Maserati, it also wasn't everyday that Seto Kaiba was attending your university. Kaiba ignored the stares and walked toward his class.

* * *

><p>The last box had been unpacked! Everything was finally in its proper place. Yugi Moto sighed heavily as he sprawled out on his new bed in his dorm room at Domino University. Yugi's best friend, Joey Wheeler, was rooming with him and was finished with his unpacking as well.<p>

Joey mimicked Yugi and sprawled out on his own bed and gave a heavy sigh of relief, "Man, I'm so glad that's over with! My muscles are so sore!"

"Tell me about it," Yugi exclaimed, "I'm ready for a nap."

Joey sat up quickly, "No Yug, we've gotta explore the campus first! It's the perfect time to meet new people."

"Joey, we've already seen the campus, and some people haven't even moved in yet. We have plenty of time to meet people later," Yugi yawned loudly, "Right now I just wanna sleep."

"Come on Yug!" Joey whined, "It's ten in the morning! There's so much day ahead of us!"

Yugi rolled his eyes, "Fine…." He hopped off his bed and slipped on his shoes, "Where do you wanna go first?"

* * *

><p>Mai Valentine brushed her long blonde hair for the eighth time in ten minutes. She was primping herself up to meet her new roommate. Mai had finished unpacking all of her things and the only thing she was waiting for was the arrival of her roommate. There was nothing better to do than to look her best.<p>

After brushing her hair, Mai grabbed her phone and checked her text messages. There were no new messages. She was expecting a message from her roommate, who was supposed to text Mai when she arrived.

Mai huffed and grabbed her hair brush. She combed through her curly locks rapidly, impatiently. Where was her roommate from again? Not that far away, right? If she had left this morning she should've been here by now. Mai couldn't stand to wait anymore. She impatiently looked at her phone again. Still nothing. What the _hell_?

Mai abruptly slammed her phone down on her desk and pulled on a pair of brown, Gucci boots. She whipped open the dorm room door and stopped in her tracks when she saw someone on the other side.

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot to text you that I was here." A girl with long blonde hair pulled up into two balls atop her head was standing just outside of the doorway. She was carrying two large boxes and they looked extremely heavy.

"Oh, goodness, it's perfectly alright," Mai said as she grabbed the top box from the blonde haired girl, "let me help you out." As the two of them set the boxes down inside the dorm room, they turned to each other and shook hands.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Mai," the girl said.

"Yes, it's so nice to meet you too, Serena."

Serena smiled and pointed to the door, "I'll be right back, I have more of my stuff in the car."

"Let me help," Mai said as she gave Serena a pleasant smile.

The two girls made their way out to Serena's car and grabbed as many boxes as they could carry. Mai noticed that there were still a handful of boxes left. With only two people this job would be extremely difficult.

In the back of her mind, Mai wondered if all Serena's stuff was going to fit into their dorm room. Mai knew that dorm room living was a 'pack lightly' affair. If someone brought too much stuff they'd have to throw it away or try and cram it in. If someone didn't bring enough they could just stop by a nearby store to pick up what they needed.

Mai was an expert at dorm room living, it being her junior year of college and the fact that when she left her parents at age sixteen, she lived in a dinky one bedroom apartment. The thought of Mai's parents disgusted her to no end; at least she received her Mercedes Benz convertible as a birthday gift from them before talking off for good. The suckers never saw it coming.

"I think we're going to have to make a second trip back down here," Serena said, pulling Mai away from her thoughts.

Mai simply nodded and grabbed as many boxes as she could carry. They were ridiculously heavy. What did Serena have in there anyways, bricks?

"Mai!" A familiar Brooklyn accent made the two blondes turn around.

"Joey!" Mai said, she tried to turn too abruptly and almost lost her balance from the weight of the boxes.

"Whoa, hold on!" Joey ran towards Mai and grabbed the top box before she completely lost her balance, "There we go, much better," he said as he was able to see more of Mai's face.

"Joey Wheeler," Mai began, "fancy seeing you here. You actually graduated high school, huh?"

Joey chuckled, "Since when did you start dissing me like Kaiba?"

Mai snickered, "Joey, I've always dissed you."

Joey smiled broadly, he was very happy to see her; it had been way too long, "So, how are ya, Mai?"

She gave him a genuine smile and said, "Very good, what about you?"

"Good, glad to be here," He paused and thought over what he was going to say next but decided that Mai was a long time friend, and a trustworthy one at that, "to be honest with ya, I didn't think I'd make it to college. My grades haven't always been the best."

"I hear ya!" Serena piped in from behind Mai, "I had to work my butt off to get here. I was kind of a slacker in my earlier years of high school."

Joey chuckled, "Yeah, me too!"

Serena smiled, "I'm Serena, Mai's roommate. I'd shake your hand but I think all of our hands are full," she said, indicating to the heavy boxes they all held onto.

"It's okay," he said, "the names Joey Wheeler, old buddy of Mai's, and…." Joey turned around looking for Yugi.

Yugi appeared from behind Serena's car holding one of her boxes, "Yugi Moto, nice to meet you Serena."

Serena and Mai didn't even notice Yugi and they were taken by surprise at his presence.

"Yugi!" Mai exclaimed, "It's so good to see you! I didn't even notice you were with Joey!"

Yugi gave her a friendly smile, "That's okay, it's the vertically challenged thing I've got going on. I'm easy to miss." The four of them laughed.

"Thanks for helping me with this stuff you guys," Serena said, "I truly appreciate it."

"It's no big deal!" Joey said, "Where's your room?"

"This way," Mai said, leading the way. The group made their way through the narrow hallways of the girl's dorm. The building was older than some of the other dorms but it still looked nice, with a fresh coat of paint on the walls, and brand new flooring. The smells of reconstruction were evident and pleasant, giving the building a presence of rebirth.

"Wait," Joey began as they started up the stairs to the third floor, "So, are you two rooming together? Aren't you a junior, Mai?"

"Yeah," She said, "Serena requested for us to be roomies."

"What, why would you do that, Serena? I can't believe you'd wanna room with someone like _Mai_," Joey joked.

"If I wasn't carrying these boxes I'd punch you in the face, _Wheeler_," Mai mocked.

"I requested Mai because I wanted to be with someone who had already experienced part of college," Serena explained, "That way I could focus more on my studies and have help too."

"That makes perfect sense," Yugi said, "What a good idea, Serena."

Serena smiled, "Thank you!"

* * *

><p>Kaiba took notes at a brisk pace, and as his hand was cramping from all of the writing, he wished he wouldn't have signed up for any courses at all. Kaiba despised school and anything that reflected it.<p>

Gozaburo Kaiba, Seto's horrid step-father, made Seto slave away at his studies after he and Mokuba were adopted by the man. Kaiba vividly remembered the sleepless nights and the excruciating hunger he suffered from not being fed because his school work wasn't finished. The most pain-staking memories were the awful beatings Kaiba would receive from his sadistic step-father for not completing the homework assignments on time.

Kaiba pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind. The one good thing he got out of Gozaburo's horrendous studies was the ability to focus. He would have been killed by the mad man if he didn't develop his focusing skills.

The class was dragging on and as Kaiba listened to what the professor was saying he noticed that some students in the massive lecture hall had fallen asleep and were snoring loudly.

Kaiba shook his head in disgust, _'Falling asleep in _**college**_. You've _**got**_ to be kidding me….' _

Just when Kaiba thought people couldn't get any stupider….

"Hey, what did he just say?" A boy with obnoxious blonde hair sitting next to Kaiba asked. It reminded him of Joey Wheeler…. _dog_….

"Hey man, do you know what the professor just said?"

Kaiba ignored him and kept on writing. He refused to talk to idiots.

"Dude, what did Mr. Jacobs just say?" The boy was relentless.

Kaiba still refused to speak to the blonde haired dimwit. In the back of his mind, he hoped that the kid was talking to somebody else.

"What's your problem, man?" the boy asked, "Stop ignoring me and just tell me what Mr. Jacobs said. It's not that hard is it?"

Kaiba's hopes crumbled.

'_He said to go jump off a cliff,_' Kaiba thought, before saying, "He said to look over the economics chapter on page eighty-seven for homework. You would've known that if you were paying closer attention."

The boy looked pissed, "Gee man, relax, I was only asking because it's hard to hear this far up in the room. Sorry…."

'_You should be,'_ Kaiba thought, his anger rising at the idiotic blonde boy to his right, "Maybe try a seat in the front next time," Kaiba said in his usual sarcastic tone of voice.

"Maybe all of the front seats were gone?" Spoke a boy sitting on the other side of Kaiba. He had jet black hair and unmistakably sharp, dark, facial features to match.

Kaiba scoffed at the rude male to his left, "Who asked you?"

The dark haired boy gave Kaiba a cocky smirk, "No one, I just know my opinion matters more when I give people the respect they deserve right away."

Kaiba was thrown for a loop by the boy's comment. Did this imbecile even know who he was? He was _Seto Freakin' Kaiba_! No one talked to him like that without paying for it.

"Hey, thanks for sticking up for me, man!" Said the blonde boy to the dark haired boy, "Look dude," the blonde began, turning towards Kaiba, "I don't mean to start anything. Sorry, I was just asking."

Kaiba didn't respond. He was pondering on how he ended up sitting next to two stupid people.

"You're welcome," the dark haired boy said, "I'm Vincent by the way."

The blonde boy smiled, "Cool, I'm Ahmose!"

"Would you two spare me?" Kaiba interrupted, "Some of us are actually trying to pay attention."

"Who are you anyways?" Vincent asked, "You're very condescending for a freshman…."

Kaiba chuckled, "What? Is this high school now, threatening the freshman? If you _must _know, I'm Seto Kaiba."

"You're _the_ Seto Kaiba!" Ahmose exclaimed, "No way! I should've recognized you right away, but I'm not from Domino."

"Cool," Kaiba mumbled in an irritated voice. He was getting pretty tired of these two and wanted nothing more than to just leave.

Vincent crossed his arms and smirked cockily towards Kaiba, "I guess that explains the poor attitude."

Ahmose chuckled and Kaiba didn't say anything, he didn't have to, class was over in ten minutes and then he could distance himself from these two losers…._forever_….

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, I am sorry about the wait, and all of the grammar mistakes that are probably in this. I am determined to finish this story so don't fret! I will finish it! So, until next time!**


	8. And It Hit Me like a Ton of Bricks

**A/N: Hey everybody! I am really excited to share this chapter with you! It's only been ten days since I updated! That's defiantly a new record for me! Please enjoy!**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8- And It Hit Me like a Ton of Bricks<p>

Nothing was more relieving and satisfying for Seto Kaiba then the moment he stepped out of that horrid lecture hall. During that entire class he was stuck sitting in-between two awful guys who wouldn't shut-up. After Kaiba had sort of told off one of the guys, another nuisance boy stepped in and began conversing with the guy. The entire scene was terrible for Kaiba considering he was sitting smack dab in-between them while they chit-chatted the whole time.

Kaiba shook his head at the day's events while making his way through the campus halls and the hustle and bustle of college students going to their next class. After his _fantastic_ time in class this morning, the last thing Kaiba wanted to do was be anywhere nearby the school for lunch. He was planning on visiting a local restaurant that was farther into the city instead.

Finding his Maserati in the parking lot, Kaiba hopped in, throwing his book bag onto the passenger's seat and turning the key in the ignition. The vehicle sprang to life and the young CEO squealed out of the parking lot.

* * *

><p>It was <em>finally<em> finished! Serena was completely moved in. Her things were all unpacked and it only took about an hour thanks to some help from Mai, Joey, and Yugi. Serena smiled at the accomplishment and thanked her roommate and her two new friends. She was pleased with the first couple hours she'd spent at college so far. Everything was going great and she was pumped for the next awesome experiences college would bring her.

Yugi, Joey, Mai, and Serena were sitting on a futon in the girls' dorm room. Joey was relaxing with his feet up on a desk chair, while Yugi was sitting politely. Mai had her legs crossed; her poise was comparable to a model's, relaxed but chillingly elegant and fierce.

Mai turned towards Serena and smiled brightly, "So girly, how does it feel to be all moved in?"

Serena's smile grew, "Great!" she replied, "Of course, I forgot a few things, but that happens, right?"

"Absolutely hun!" Mai chirped, "There's a convenient store in the city that has everything you'll need. It's only about a ten minute drive from here. I can go with you later."

Before Serena could respond her phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out. There was a text message from Darien, her boyfriend back at home. The message read, 'We need to talk.' Serena shoved her cell phone back into her pocket and replied to Mai, "Um, nah, don't worry about it. I think I'll be able to find it by myself."

The bright smile Mai had fell to a slight frown, "Are you sure? I wouldn't want you to get lost in the city. I mean, there's a lot of one-way streets and confusing turns."

"I'm sure I'll be fine, it's no big deal," Serena said, trying to reassure her concerned roommate.

"Well, you could always go after we get a bite to eat?" Joey piped in, "I don't know about you guys but I'm _starving_!"

"Yeah, we could always go eat somewhere downtown that's close to the convenient store, and head to the store after we're done eating?" Yugi suggested. He was always the problem solver and a people pleaser. Serena could tell he was trying his best to make everybody happy and let everyone else have their way before himself.

Serena smiled genuinely at Yugi for his selflessness, "Thank you, but I'm actually not very hungry," she lied. Serena was always hungry, it was her signature personality trait, "I think I'm just going to head to the store and meet up with you guys afterward. Sound good?"

Mai frowned again, "Yes, I guess so…. If you get lost, call me!"

"Don't worry I will," Serena said as she grabbed her car keys from her desk table, "Thanks again for all of your help you guys!"

The three nodded and waved good-bye to Serena as she left the dorm room.

* * *

><p>The autumn breeze brushed freshly fallen brown, red, and yellow leaves across the stone pavement of the Domino University campus. The air had a faint scent of the new season, making the outdoors more delightful.<p>

Ahmose kicked at the leaves on the ground as he made his way to the next building that held his other classes. Being in the fresh air was relieving to him; it cleared his head in preparation for his long day of classes. He was thankful for his time outside, knowing that it would be cut short in just a few minutes due to school.

"Ahmose?" Ahmose turned around to the sound of his name, his blonde hair whipping in front of his face.

Vincent, the guy that Ahmose met earlier from his business class that morning was walking up behind him, waving at Ahmose. Vincent and Ahmose became instant friends due to Ahmose's incident with the famous CEO of Kaiba Corp., Seto Kaiba. Vincent stood up for Ahmose when Kaiba dissed him for just simply asking a question. From that moment on the two of them talked for the rest of the class period. Vincent was a junior in college while Ahmose was only a freshman, but the two had a lot in common and Ahmose was grateful for making a new friend so quickly.

The wind had picked up slightly, whirling Vincent's dark hair around. Vincent was the kind of person that was hard to miss. His jet black hair and his dark facial features were unmistakable, especially his black eyes, they were very distinct and unique.

"Hey Ahmose," Vincent said pleasantly as he approached the blonde boy, "What's up?"

"Hey Vincent," Ahmose replied, "Nothing really, what's up with you?"

Vincent smiled, "Oh, not much. I didn't expect to see you out here, where are you headed?"

"To the science building, I have three classes in there."

Vincent's smiled grew broader, lighten up his dark features, "Hey me too! I don't have three classes, but my next class is in there."

"What class?" Ahmose asked.

"Organic Chemistry," Vincent replied, "I'm not looking forward to it. I've heard it's pretty difficult."

"Nah, it's pretty easy if you know chemistry thoroughly. I took organic chem. in high school as a college course and it wasn't too bad," Ahmose explained, "you'll be okay."

Vincent smiled, "Thanks man." The two boys walked together towards the science building, talking about classes and other casual topics for awhile until Vincent changed the subject, "Hey Ahmose, would you be interested in hanging out with some of my Fraternity friends tonight? We're celebrating the new school year, if you know what I mean," he laughed, and Ahmose was sure he was talking about partying since it was a Fraternity and since that's what most college students did, "Maybe if you're interested, you could join the Fraternity," Vincent suggested, "however, you've gotta get the rest of my Fraternity brothers to like you; with me by your side that shouldn't be a problem."

"Cool," Ahmose replied, "thanks man, I'm looking forward to it."

Vincent grinned slyly, "Good, you should."

"I know that some Sororities require tests and such to become a member. Do I have to go through some sort of Fraternity trials to join?" Ahmose asked.

Vincent's grin deepened, "Something like that…."

* * *

><p>Serena dashed out to her car and jumped into it. While buckling her seat belt and starting the car, Serena quickly dialed Darien's phone number and pressed the 'send' button. Time seemed to pass <em>way<em> too slowly while she was waiting for Darien to answer, yet there was nothing she could do but anticipate his 'hello' on the other line.

Serena was speeding down the street, redialing Darien's number over and over again. She was very anxious to talk to him, and his text caught her off guard. Serena knew that she would've gone with Yugi, Joey, and Mai if it wasn't for Darien's stupid text saying that they needed to talk. Nothing made her more nervous than someone saying that they needed to talk to her.

Serena had been restless all week about speaking to Darien. They had been going through a lot of troubles and Serena was fretting that this might be the end of it. Although it was too hard for her to believe, Serena knew it was almost inevitable that they would break up. The two were fighting _constantly_, and they were slowly but surely going their separate ways. Darien was way too worried about Serena at college, and during the summer neither had any time to see each other due to Darien's work and Serena's full-time summer job. Things were just too hard.

In the back of her mind, Serena knew nothing was for sure when it came to her relationship. Even though she had been Sailor Moon, the guardian and protector of the moon, and Darien was Tuxedo Mask, Serena knew that with all of the strife between them, their fairytale ending wouldn't happen. Even if Luna had told her it would, something in Serena's heart was telling her it wasn't right, that _he_ wasn't the right man for her.

Apparently, Darien was Prince Endymion, future Moon King, yet Serena couldn't help but think that the legends might've been wrong. What if they had been? Then Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask were all for nothing. Serena and Darien were all for nothing? Their daughter, Rini, was all for nothing? _Rini all for nothing_…. Serena shook her head at the thought. Rini was _not_ all for nothing! Regardless of Darien, Rini was _**her**_ future daughter and that was final! Nothing and no one could take Rini away from her!

Serena smiled and let a tiny tear fall from her eyes. Rini had traveled back in time while Serena was still Sailor Moon to help out and guild her future parents. Over a year ago, Serena and Darien had to say goodbye to their cherished daughter and send her back into the future. Serena missed Rini dearly and it was so hard to let go of those memories. All of those memories included Darien….

Serena let another tear fall. Darien was supposedly Rini's future father, but what if the legends weren't true? Still though, she shared most of her memories of Rini with Darien, which made everything even more complicated.

Suddenly Serena's phone lit up and she jumped slightly at the surprise. It was Darien calling her back. She answered with some anticipation and a shaky voice, "Hello…."

_"Serena…." _

"Darien, hi…." Serena didn't even know what to say. Her stomach was doing summer-salts and she was so nervous to what he was going to say next, "h-h-how are you doing?"

_"I'm alright,"_ he replied swiftly, _"listen Serena, we need to seriously talk. Do you have time?"_

"Yeah…." She could feel herself completely fading, this was it, and she knew it.

_"You know what I'm about to say, don't you?"_

"Yes…."

There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the phone and then a deep, nervous breath, _"Okay, I think we need to break up for good Serena."_

She was frozen. There it was. He'd said it, yet she still didn't know how to respond even though she knew it was coming. What was wrong with her? She loved Darien, _that's_ what was wrong with her!

"A-are you s-sure you want to do this?" Serena questioned in a shaky voice. She wanted to know if Darien truly felt the need to break up or if he was just doing this on an impulse.

_"Yes, Serena,"_ his answer was quick and he sounded very sure of himself.

"No!" Serena said sternly, she gripped her phone tightly and her knuckles were turning white from holding onto the steering wheel too hard, "You're wrong, Darien!"

There was another heavy sigh, _"Serena, I'm not wrong. You knew this was coming. You knew this was the end for both of us." _

No matter how much Serena didn't want to admit it, he was absolutely right. This was the end. Forever….

_"Serena? Are you still there?"_

"What?" she said, not knowing how long it'd been since she dazed off.

"You understand why, right?" Darien asked.

Serena wanted to scream and yell and throw Darien a fit into the phone, however, she knew it would solve nothing. She knew the outcome. She just needed to confirm it. "Yes, I understand Darien…."

There was silence for a long time. Serena almost thought Darien had hung up on her, leaving her with her depressing thoughts. She knew he was still there though, he would never do that to her, yet she thought he would never be doing _this_ either….

After awhile Serena couldn't contain herself. Tears flowed down her porcelain cheeks that were lightly flushed pink from her bottled up emotions. Darien heard her sobs on the other end of the line and called her name. Serena didn't respond right away, she was too preoccupied by her tears to do anything.

Time seemed to have ceased while Serena was crying, and after there were no more tears left to cry, Serena shouted at the top of her lungs into the receiver of her phone, slamming her fist on her steering wheel in frustration.

"DARIEN, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?" she screamed. Anger took control of her and nothing could stop it.

_ "Calm down, Serena, I'm not doing anything to you. You know exactly what's happening. You know why we can't be together anymore."_

"WHY?" she yelled, not knowing anything else to ask him but that.

_"Because we aren't working out anymore!"_ Anger was rising in Darien's voice, and Serena could easily pin-point his frustration with her. She didn't care though. This was too painful, and he needed to know exactly how painful this truly was for her.

"WHY NOT, DARIEN!?" she demanded, "BLUNTLY TELL ME WHY WE CAN'T BE TOGETHER! SAY IT!"

There was a pause, _"Serena, you know why alrea-"_

"NO!" Serena cut him off, "I WANT THE TRUTH, DARIEN!"

There was another horribly long pause before Darien told her the long-awaited truth, _"It's because I don't love you anymore, Serena…."_

Crushed wasn't the correct word to describe Serena's heart. Broken wasn't either. Murdered, maybe? In the back of her mind she knew that's what Darien was going to say, but to actually hear him _say_ it made Serena's heart shatter. This was getting tougher and tougher the longer they talked on the phone and Serena just wanted it to be over, Darien probably did too. Serena's broken heart was slightly mended when she realized that she didn't love Darien as much as she should've anymore. It made the hardship bearable for the moment, maybe even in the long run, but who knows?

After a time of juncture, Serena finally spoke up with a little more confidence than she expected from herself, "Okay, I understand. This is it then, goodbye Darien…."

_"Goodbye..." _

A small beep was heard from Darien's line and Serena knew he was gone for good. She clicked the 'end' button on her cell phone and set the miniscule device onto her lap. Gripping the steering wheel with force, Serena sped down the downtown streets of Domino like a maniac, swerving and switching through lanes like an idiot. She could care less. She needed to express her animosity somehow, and speeding was going to do it for her.

She was sure that by now she had past the convenient store she was supposed to be going to. Again, Serena could care less. Anger, frustration, confusion, pain, and misery were the only feelings and things Serena cared about at the moment.

Quickly picking up her phone, Serena dialed the phone number of one of her really close friends. She needed to tell someone what had just happened.

After what felt like a million rings, the phone went to voicemail. Serena hoped to just talk and not leave a message, but _whatever_, a message would do. They would eventually get it.

"Hey," Serena said, her voice was a mixture of anguish and gall, "This is Serena, where are you? I really need to talk to you. It's very important." Serena didn't know how and didn't want to phrase her next sentence, but then she figured that the voicemail would be a waste if she left out the part about Darien. "Darien and I broke up for good," Tears began to streak down her flushed face, "I don't know what to do…. Please just…. Just call me back _please_. I _need_ to see you! I can't do this alone…. Hurry up and call me back, please." She clicked off her phone and chucked it into the passenger seat. The small device plopped into the seat effortlessly, bouncing only lightly.

Serena placed her elbows on the steering wheel and covered her face with her hands, wiping her tears away. Nothing was harder than this; at least Serena could admit that to herself. She knew it was coming too! So why was this hard?

'_It's because I don't love you anymore, Serena…' _Darien's words echoed in her head, making it pound like a migraine. That's why this was so painful, because of what Darien had said. Serena couldn't believe he'd said it out loud either. That was the part that killed her. The fact that he'd said it so _effortlessly_.

Sobbing overwhelmed Serena and she covered up her face even more. Shame and sorrow lingered like a horrifying nightmare, like depression that never ceased to haunt someone. This was _awful_! Serena was the most upset she'd ever been in her entire life. She wished these feelings would disappear forever!

It seemed like it was coming from a distance, a loud, obnoxious car horn. Realizing that the noise was not far away, Serena picked her head up rapidly. She saw nothing but a whirl of black in front of her. She slammed on her breaks. Squeals and something that sounded like metal being forcibly ripped apart was all Serena heard before her vision was completely gone….

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Was that mean enough to do to you? Haha, I love cliff hangers, so expect more and more of them, lol! So, just to clear up a couple things with you wonderful people, if you have ANY question about this story, anything that you're wondering about, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEEEEEEE ask me! You can message me, or leave it in the review (please review by the way, thank you) and I will defiantly answer them for you. Thanks guys! You're all awesome! See you next time!**


	9. Pieces

**A/N: I hope all of you fine people are enjoying this story so far. I'm having such a blast writing it! I just want to give a BIG thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, and favorited my story. It means a lot to me, so thank you! FYI: this chapter is a little gross, you've been warned! Enough of my ranting, it's story time!**

**I DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 9- Pieces<p>

Blood was the first thing that he saw. The only thing he was seeing. Was he dreaming? Was this a nightmare? He didn't know, but there was blood all over, and that's what he did know. There was blood on the steering wheel, blood on the fine interior of his vehicle, at the moment, blood seemed almost inevitable. Grabbing his black shirt and pulling on the fabric to get a good look at it, there seemed to be no evidence of the red, gooey substance, however, when he let go his hands were completely drenched in the stuff. The black color of the clothing had hidden any visible clues that the blood had been there, but sure enough, his shirt was soaking wet with the disgusting mass of human excess.

Feeling faint, he grabbed a hold of the car's upholstery to keep himself sturdy. Luckily, he didn't pass out, but unfortunately he felt as though he could vomit. The fact that he was completely covered in blood was horrifying enough to make him want to throw up.

_'Take some deep breaths….'_ He told himself, and after awhile it helped. He was able to make his way out of the vehicle and take a look around. Feeling very light-headed, he knelt down on the pavement.

_'What's happening?'_ He thought, _'Where am I? What am I doing here?'_ Slowly standing up, he saw his awful reflection in the side mirror. The mirror was cracked slightly, distorting the image a little bit, but he was still able to get a good look. His brown hair was a mass heap on top of his head, his bangs sticking to his forehead from the blood that was there. The pupils of his icy, blue eyes were extremely dilated and reflected horror. His skin was pale, with cuts all over his face, leaving streams of blood dripping down his cheeks and chin. There were minor gashes on his neck, still bleeding, and his shirt was ripped in that area. A loud gasp escaped from his throat at the realization of it all.

Seto Kaiba couldn't take his eyes off of the person in the mirror. After realizing that it was him who looked like a murder victim in a horror film, Kaiba couldn't help but react. He'd never looked like this before. His face and body were in such bad shape that he didn't recognize himself at first.

Kaiba stepped away from the small side mirror and fixed his eyes on his car, or, what _was_ his car. His black Maserati was totaled. The entire right side was smashed in, and there was steam leaking out from the hood, disintegrating into the autumn air. Metal pieces of the car were everywhere. They flooded the pavement, making it look like a true disaster area.

Kaiba's jaw dropped at the scene, _'What happened to me?'_ No matter how hard Kaiba tried to remember what had occurred, he couldn't. Did he bump his head too hard? Was this a dream? Kaiba concurred that it was a dream and that his mind playing tricks on him, yet every time he blinked or willed himself to wake up, he couldn't. He was stuck in this nightmare….

"HELP ME! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!"

Screaming was coming from the other side of Kaiba's car, and he bolted over piles of rubble as quickly as he could to get there. His legs were in such pain that the running was rapidly turning into limps. Kaiba thought he might collapse from the pain shooting up his limbs, but he pulled himself together.

When Kaiba got to the other side he saw a different vehicle entangled in his. The other car was completely destroyed as well; somehow Kaiba hadn't noticed it before.

"HELP!"

The screaming continued. Where was it coming from? Who was in trouble?

After trudging through pieces of scrap metal, Kaiba noticed glimmering streaks of blood flowing down the trashed pavement. The feeling as if he were about to vomit almost overtook him, but he fought it down. Nothing disgusted him more right now than the sight of blood.

'_What's going on?'_ he thought angrily, clenching his fists, _'Did I do this?'_ His next thought froze him; it was unbearable, like his mind had stabbed him directly in the heart, _'Did I kill someone?'_

Kaiba was completely frozen, lost in his dreadful thoughts. Nothing was worse than the worry he felt right now. The only thing that wrenched him out of his panicked daze was the sound of high-pitched screaming.

"HELP ME, SOMEBODY!"

Kaiba blinked and looked up. He noticed people on the sidewalk and people running from all directions. They were panicking, pointing their fingers and staring at him. Some had their hands over their mouths in shock; others had tears in their eyes, but most were just standing their, too overtaken by their shock to do anything!

'_Why are they just __**standing**__ there,'_ Kaiba thought, _'why aren't they __**helping**__?'_

"PLEASE!" The victim was begging to be saved and nobody was doing anything about it.

If no one was deciding to help, then Kaiba would! He moved as swiftly as he could to the sound of the victim's voice. His head was spinning, making it difficult to track down where the origin of the voice was coming from. Kaiba knew his time was limited, he could feel his body reacting to the massive blood loss, and eventually he would pass out, or worse. The adrenaline in him, however, kept him going, and Kaiba would stop at _nothing_ until he saved the victim of this terrible accident.

Picking through jumbled masses of rubble, Kaiba eventually found who he was looking for. A girl, who was bleeding profusely from god-awful abdominal wounds, was buried in a mound of sharp metal debris. Her legs were completely covered, but Kaiba could see that one of her arms was broken, and she sustained a gruesome head injury from the amount of blood seeping from her forehead down onto her face.

Limping over to the injured girl, Kaiba began removing metal and debris that was sprawled across her body. His hands started to bleed from the sharp objects he was lifting off of her, and she moaned from the metal cutting her when he removed it.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice severally gravelly, making him sound like a completely different person.

The girl just groaned, moving her head from side to side in pain. Her blonde locks were collecting dust from the wreckage, and blood from her forehead.

Kaiba knew that she was in a lot of pain and knew that if she passed out on him that she might not wake up again. Kaiba couldn't let that happen. He decided to make conversation with her, "What's your name?"

She moaned again, her face contorting to the pain she was feeling.

He tried again, "what's your name?"

This time she looked up at him, her blue eyes looking into his matching ones. There was a look of terror on her face and Kaiba knew that he _needed_ to get her out of there as fast as he could.

Tears formed in her blue eyes and they eventually fell onto her cut-up cheeks, stinging the wounds as they slid down. After a long moment she attempted to answer him, "S-Serena…" the name was said in a hoarse voice.

Kaiba took a deep breath, trying to contain his composure. Looking at her wounds, and feeling his own was just too much for him. The sight was gross and Kaiba thought he might pass out soon if no one else came to assist them.

He asked Serena another question to keep her, and now himself, from fainting, "How old are you Serena?"

This time she answered him quicker than before, "Nineteen."

She was _his_ age, "Good, when is your birthday?"

She answered much quicker again, "June thirtieth."

Kaiba cut his hand again on piece of metal. The fresh blood briskly fell from the slight gash, dripping onto Serena's wounded chest, their blood mixing. He chose to ask another question to ignore his wounds, "Where is the majority of your pain, Serena?"

"Urgh…." She murmured, "M-my legs…." Serena seemed to be a little out of it now, and Kaiba knew that that was not a good sign. Her pain was overtaking her and if Kaiba didn't do anything soon she'd be unresponsive.

"Serena, I'm going to remove the metal covering your legs, okay?"

Serena moaned and nodded slightly. The heavy metal that was concealing her lower half was the mangled car door of what was Serena's vehicle. Kaiba didn't know where to start. The door looked heavy, and he didn't know how to rid of it without hurting Serena further.

"Serena, take some deep breaths for me, okay? Just focus on your breathing. Got that?" Kaiba instructed. He saw Serena nod, and shortly after she did what he'd told her to do.

Bending down, Kaiba was able to view a spot where elevating the metal wouldn't hurt Serena as much. He still knew that it would distress her severely and he was preparing himself for her screams.

Slowly, Kaiba raised up the metal, slicing his hands open even further. He brushed off the ache and kept going. The door was heavier than he predicted, maybe from his weakness and loss of blood. Kaiba used all of the energy he had left to hoist up the hunk of scrap metal.

Serena screamed in misery as her legs were exposed underneath Kaiba and the car door. Blood was everywhere. Serena's legs were a mess, and Kaiba couldn't see any evidence of skin, there was just too much blood. She was wearing shorts and Kaiba could see that there was a large slash running down the inside section of one of Serena's legs. The fissure was bleeding profusely, more than any other wound Kaiba had seen before. Examining the gash closely, Kaiba noted that the wound was a major artery, the femoral artery. If he didn't do something fast Serena would bleed out.

Kaiba tossed the broken car door carefully into the debris so that it wasn't crushing Serena's legs anymore. Serena let out another horrid scream as she closed her eyelids softly, breathing heavily. The agony was overtaking her and she was fading fast. Unfortunately, Kaiba wasn't wearing one of his trench coats. The material from the coat would've helped vastly by tying it around Serena's artery wound to keep it from bleeding out. Kaiba did the next best thing he could think of. He whipped off his shirt, revealing his damaged flesh to the onlookers. He tied the black fabric around Serena's leg and applied pressure.

"Serena, can you hear me?" He asked. Kaiba wanted to make sure she wasn't fading on him.

Sadly, Serena didn't answer. Her breathing was slowing down and her breaths were becoming less frequent.

"_Serena_, answer me." There was no reply. Her face became extremely pale and Kaiba freaked out internally. He didn't want to lose her now, he'd come so far. He _needed_ to save her, he _had_ to!

"Serena!" Kaiba shouted at her again. She was barely breathing.

"SERENA! _SERENA_!" He yelled, his voice crackling against his throat. Moments pasted by and there was no reply from the frail, blonde girl. Kaiba stared her down, unable to say anything. He _couldn't_ lose her, especially if he was the one who'd caused this hideous accident!

Serena lay on the dirty ground, completely motionless. The once breathing human had now ceased to take in oxygen.

The ice cold, blue eyes of Seto Kaiba peered into nowhere. The blue spheres were filled with shock as an emotionless expression grazed Kaiba's pale face. There were goose bumps crawling up his skin, the autumn breeze made his shirtless epidermis shiver along with the panic that flushed through him.

He swallowed hard, there was no saliva left, making the barren journey difficult on his esophagus. His breathing was jagged as he tried to control it, however, the panic seemed to conquer him and an attack of fear raced through his mind. His heart pulsed against his cold, wounded chest, begging to be released from its cavity.

Seto Kaiba was in pure shock. He just killed a girl…. _Serena_. He even knew her name! How could this have happened? He tried so _hard_ to save her! The fact was that he didn't try hard enough! He'd failed…. He'd failed like he always did. Kaiba's whole life had been a massive mess of failures, but out of all of his mishaps, this was by _far_ the _worst_!

Seto Kaiba had just murdered somebody.

He didn't mean to! It was a mistake, an accident! He had no intention to kill! The only intention Kaiba had was to _save_ Serena….

A glimmer of hope struck Kaiba like a blot of lightning. He had _every_ intention to save Serena! What if her breathing stopped because she was in shock as well? What if she was still alive and needed CPR?

'_What if she was still alive?'_ The thought alone made Kaiba's heart jump out of his skin as he abruptly searched for Serena's pulse. The seconds past like they were years until Kaiba felt the faint heartbeat that signified _life_.

Unfortunately, Kaiba didn't know CPR. His heart raced again as reality set in. He couldn't just try CPR; there was just no way he'd save her. Kaiba would have to get her to a hospital as soon as possible.

Standing up was not an easy task for Kaiba. His legs shook and his body ached. Black spots invaded his vision and they were multiplying quickly as Kaiba was losing consciousness.

"H-h-help!" He yelled, "Somebody help her!" Kaiba felt himself fading; he had one last chance to beg before it was too late. "Somebody call an ambulance!" His shouting grew weak, "Help…. H-h-help…." The dizzy blackness consumed him and Kaiba closed his eyelids, feeling his body descend to the filthy ground. In the distance was a strange, alarming sound. Kaiba couldn't make out exactly what it was, just that it was familiar.

Noise vanished from his ears, and feeling was nonexistent as Seto Kaiba's body collapsed into the disheveled pavement.

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><p><strong>AN: Oh my goodness, I'm sooooooo incredibly _mean_! Hahahaha, sorry guys! I seriously cannot resist a good cliffy! I love them _way_ too much! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this disgusting chapter. It was exciting to write actually, and even though it's shorter, it took a ton of time to write. So, I really hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I truly appreciate it! See you next time!**


	10. In My Mind's Eye

**A/N: CHAPTER 10! YES! I'm sooooooooooooo happy! I'm very thankful that this story has made it this far!**

**I DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH! (It'd be nice to though, haha)**

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><p>Chapter 10- In My Mind's Eye<p>

The afternoon bell had finally rang, and Ahmose was more than ready to be done with his last class of the day. He was extremely grateful when the bell had gone off and he was the first one out of the doors. Ahmose hated walking behind slow people who seemed to take years getting out of the classroom and into the hallway. Didn't they know he was in a hurry? Ahmose was in an even bigger hurry then he normally would be on a usual day. Today was just _not_ a usual day.

Ahmose was _exceedingly_ hung-over. He had gone out last night with his brand new friend, Vincent and Vincent's Fraternity brothers. They were all crazy, and Ahmose, of course, _had_ to give into peer-pressure and drink way more than he should have. That was just the first night of college…. What would the next four years bring him? Today was only Ahmose's second day of classes, and his professors constant lecturing did nothing to cure his pounding headache and sore stomach. Needless to say, Ahmose paid no attention to any of them today….

However, that was okay, because today was just _**not**_ a normal day.

Late last night, Ahmose had gotten a voicemail from his old friend, Serena Tsukino. He had listened to the message but couldn't comprehend it due to the fact that he was _way_ too drunk to do practically anything at all. Ahmose had replayed the voicemail in the morning along with a different voicemail from Serena's parents. They said that Serena was critically injured and at the Domino City Hospital in the emergency room. They told Ahmose to call them as soon as he got the chance.

Well, now was his chance and he was dreading it. How had he completely overlooked Serena's voicemail? He maybe could've done something last night to help her. Ahmose had no idea what had happened to Serena, all he knew was that Darien had broken up with her and that she was upset over it. When her parents had left a message, they only briefly explained that she was in the hospital, leaving Ahmose to wonder.

Now, he was going to find out. Part of him didn't want to get to the bottom of it due to the guilt he felt over not answering Serena's phone call sooner because of his intoxication. _Great_, how was he supposed to explain himself to Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino when they asked why he didn't answer their phone call in the first place? Hopefully, they disregarded that part and just skipped straight to what had happened to his old friend.

Ahmose walked outside of the campus building and took in a deep, refreshing breath of autumn air. The crisp oxygen filled his lungs instantly, giving Ahmose profound shivers up his spinal chord. Satisfying sensations calmed his nerves for a few moments before Ahmose dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. With somewhat shaky hands, he dialed the number of Serena's parents and waited impatiently on the other line for their answer.

"_Hello,"_ the voice on the other end was a woman's.

"Mrs. Tsukino? Hi, this is Ahmose. How is Serena?" Ahmose asked uneasily, he hoped for good news.

"_Hi Ahmose, she's…."_ Mrs. Tsukino trailed off a little. Her voice was shaky and apprehensive. Something was defiantly not good. _"Serena…. she's…. stable for now..."_

A chill traveled slowly up Ahmose's spine, making him freeze in the nippy autumn breeze. _'What happened!?'_ he thought fearfully. Was his old friend in a coma? Is that why she was stabilized? Was she going to be okay?

"S-stable?" Ahmose stuttered.

"_Yes, she was in an automobile accident yesterday evening,"_ Mrs. Tsukino explained, _"the doctors said that the entire catastrophe could've been fatal for Serena and the other driver involved. It's a miracle that they both survived."_

Guilt crept into Ahmose's mentality as he tried to compose himself after the news he had just heard. Why did he have to get _stupid_ last night? If only he didn't go out drinking he might've been able to help Serena…. _Damn it_!

"_The doctors are finished operating on her and they are moving her up to the intensive care unit. If you'd like to come by and see Serena soon, I can explain in further detail what happened."_ Mrs. Tsukino's voice was frigid and almost frail to the point where Ahmose thought she may start to cry on the phone.

"Okay, when can I come by?" Ahmose said urgently. He had to see Serena to make sure she was truly doing okay.

"_Anytime now would be fine,"_ Mrs. Tsukino replied.

"Sounds good," he said, "I'll be there soon. Good-bye, Mrs. Tsukino."

"_Bye, Ahmose." _Ahmose hung up the phone hurriedly and made his way to the school's parking lot. Rushing through crowds of people and discarded brown, yellow, and orange leaves that were in mini piles on the ground, Ahmose found his car and hopped in. Starting the engine and driving off hastily, Ahmose made his way to Domino City Hospital with Serena glued to his every thought.

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><p>His world was shaking, and his blurred, fading vision was moving back and forth. A familiar voice filled his ears; the sound was pleasant and pleading. A bold scent crammed its way into his nostrils. The smell was artificial in a weird way; it was foreign to his nose. Licking his lips lightly, he could taste the metallically flavor of blood and dryness of the mouth. The last sensation to invade his body was pain, <em><strong>excruciating<strong>_ pain that flooded every bone, every muscle, and every nerve ending in his body. The ache seemed endless and it erupted even worse when he opened his eyes and regained consciousness.

He was staring up at the white ceiling when he realized that everything was unfamiliar to him. Looking around, he realized that he was in a hospital room. The room was exceptionally white and clean. The television set that faced him was on and was showing a re-run of _The Simpsons_. Half of the lights were turned off in the room, and the curtains were drawn, letting the sunlight flood the white room, making it tremendously bright. The luminosity made him squint to obtain vision, while his eyes were adjusting to the brightness.

The only thing familiar to him in the hospital room was his younger brother, Mokuba. Mokuba was smiling, yet there was concern written all over his youthful face. He was watching his older brother like a hawk, examining every inch of him, making sure that he was alright.

"Seto, are you alright?" Mokuba asked, deep worry evident in his voice.

Seto Kaiba swallowed, but there wasn't much that went down so his voice came out crackly and rough, "I've felt better..."

"No," Mokuba shook his head rapidly, "You were practically screaming in your sleep. I had to shake you to wake you up so that the nurse wouldn't run in here."

"What?" was all Kaiba could say. He was confused, but then felt Mokuba's hand's clasping his shoulders and noticed he was standing over him, his raven black hair almost touching Kaiba's bruised and scratched face. Mokuba's voice had been the familiar sound he had heard before. It was almost all coming together now, except for why he was _here_?

"Mokuba," Kaiba began, "what am I doing here? Why am I lying in a hospital bed?" Confusion was written all over the elder brother's face.

"Seto…." Mokuba started, he sighed heavily, thinking about how he was going to word his next sentence, "You were in a car accident with your Maserati. It's completely destroyed."

Visions of black and silvery metal covering Domino's paved streets flashed briefly in Kaiba's mind. What Mokuba just described to him seemed vaguely familiar.

Mokuba continued, "You're seriously injured Seto….." Tears began to well up in the younger Kaiba's subtle gray eyes, "The doctors said you were lucky to be alive. They said it was a miracle."

'_A miracle to be alive?'_ Kaiba wondered how bad this car accident really was. Who else was hurt in the process? There was a hint of guilt and worry in the back of Kaiba's mind and he couldn't quite place why. Did he instigate the crash? Kaiba wished his thoughts would leave him, but of course, they continued to bug him, eating away at his emotional state.

Tears began to fall from Mokuba's eyes and he wiped them away rapidly with the sleeve of his bright blue shirt, "I thought you were a goner Seto!" he cried, "When the doctors operated on you, you almost went under and…" Mokuba struggled to keep his composure, tears and sobs invading the fragile young boy, "I'm just so thankful that you're here! I don't know what I'd do without you if you didn't make it!"

The young Kaiba unexpectedly wrapped his little arms around his older brother, holding him in a tight embrace. Kaiba tried to hug his little brother back but he was too weak to hold on, instead he whimpered in pain. Mokuba instinctively let go and apologized for his sudden hug.

Kaiba placed a hand on his sibling's shoulder, "I'm alright, Mokuba," he smiled delightfully at his younger brother, a rare smile that only Mokuba ever witnessed, "I need to ask one thing from you."

"Anything Seto, you're not in a good enough state to do anything for yourself," Mokuba stated.

Kaiba gave him a glance that said, 'I know, don't remind me,' then the elder brother asked for his favor, "Could you tell me _exactly_ what happened? I want to know _everything_, every detail, every person involved, and every day that has passed since I've been in here."

Mokuba hesitated, "Well, I don't exactly know _everything_…."

Kaiba sighed, this was going to be harder to piece together than he thought, "Just tell me what you know, Mokuba."

"Okay," the younger Kaiba nodded before beginning, "Your car accident happened yesterday in downtown. The police estimated at about 1:30pm was the actual collision. The other driver was a girl your age. Her name is-"

"Serena!" Kaiba finished. A flashback of her pale, injured face, her blonde hair, and her distressed, blue eyes sprung to life in Kaiba's mind's eye. The short conversation they'd shared earlier popped into Kaiba's memory banks. He could hear the way she replied to his questions in his head…

'_What's your name?'_

'_S-Serena…'_

'_How old are you Serena?'_

'_Nineteen…'_

Mokuba interrupted Kaiba's musings, "How did you know that?" Mokuba looked stunned at the fact that his brother knew the other drivers name.

"I-," another flashback hit Kaiba before he could answer….

In his mind's eye he saw blood everywhere, it was inescapable. The two demolished vehicles lay in the middle of the street, metal and debris scattering the pavement. The grossest part was the amount of blood flowing down the filthy pavement. High pitched screams echoed in Kaiba's head.

'_HELP!' _

Kaiba shuttered. Was this a repressed memory? Was his cruel mind playing tricks on him?

_'HELP ME, SOMEBODY, PLEASE!'_

A chill raced up Kaiba's spine as he recalled a familiar voice…. A familiar place….

'_Serena, can you hear me?' He asked. Kaiba wanted to make sure she wasn't fading on him._

_Sadly, Serena didn't answer. Her breathing was slowing down and her breaths were becoming less frequent._

'_Serena, answer me.' There was no reply. Her face became extremely pale and Kaiba freaked out internally. He didn't want to lose her now, he'd come so far. He__needed__to save her, he__had__to!_

'_**Serena**!' Kaiba shouted at her again. She was barely breathing._

'_SERENA!__**SERENA**__!' He yelled, his voice crackling against his throat. Moments pasted by and there was no reply from the frail, blonde girl. Kaiba stared her down, unable to say anything. He__couldn't__lose her, especially if he was the one who'd caused this hideous accident!_

_Serena lay on the dirty ground, completely motionless. The once breathing human had now ceased to take in oxygen…_

What Kaiba had dreamt about previously were the events of his car accident! It wasn't just a _dream_! It was _**real**_! No wonder why Mokuba woke him up? He had to be screaming! The dream was torture to recall, painful to remember, but even more tormenting to live through. Of course his mind had repressed it, it made Kaiba physically hurt as well as emotionally.

Everything pieced itself together. There was only one thing that Kaiba needed to know _now_!

"Mokuba!" Kaiba shrieked, "Where is Serena? Is she alright? Is she alive!?"

The younger Kaiba was taken aback; he replied to his brother calmly, "Are you okay, Seto? You're freaking ou-"

"Just answer the question!" Kaiba shouted, acting rudely towards his caring little brother. Kaiba didn't care though, nothing was more important to him right now than knowing the condition of the girl he attempted to save after the car accident. He needed to know if he'd killed her….

Mokuba's face turned to stone. He wasn't expecting his brother to act this way, especially after everything he just went through. Mokuba knew that Seto was physically and emotionally weak, but somehow talk of Serena provoked his mind. Mokuba had no other option but to answer his brother's question, "Serena's alive. She's on the ICU floor just like you, but…"

"But what?" Kaiba asked abruptly, "What's wrong?"

"She's in a coma Seto…."

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><p><strong>AN: CLIFF HANGER! AGAIN! Hahaha, this is so much fun! Please review! Thank you. See you next time!**


	11. Holding Your Hand

**A/N: Wow. It has been way too long folks. Sorry about that. College sucks! Haha it's kinda hard to keep up with everything, however, I find that writing keeps me sane. So, here you go.**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH! (It would be awesome if I did)**

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><p>Chapter 11- Holding Your Hand<p>

He had waited, waited for over 2,000 years. The confirmation of his accomplishment was thrilling. Vincent had finally found his apprentice. Ahmose had been successfully reincarnated. After taking a blade to his heart, Ahmose was finally alive once again. While at the Fraternity party Ahmose had gotten extremely intoxicated, giving Vincent the perfect chance to search his subconscious memories. Sure enough, Ahmose was _the_ Ahmose that Vincent had been searching for. Ahmose was his apprentice.

A creepy smile sprouted onto Vincent's lips. Ahmose would be put to good use soon enough. Now that Vincent had gained Ahmose's trust by befriending him everything would fall into place. Vincent would eventually rule over the Earth, which was to be his kingdom. The anger that took shape within Ahmose millennia ago would eventually surface and provide aid to Vincent's ultimate take over. Everything was going according to plan….

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><p>"Ahmose, darling!" Mrs. Tsukino said as she rushed over to him and embraced him when he entered the hospital. Her light-blue eyes were red and puffy from crying and Ahmose could tell that she hadn't slept.<p>

"I'm glad you could make it," She stated after their embrace, "Come," she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the elevators, "Serena's room is this way."

The two rode the elevator in silence. Ahmose felt extremely awkward, he didn't know what to say. This whole situation was messed up as it was, however, he was afraid that the Tsukino's would ask where he was when they called him last night. How was he supposed to explain himself? Tell them that he was completely drunk off his ass? That he wasn't there for one of his best friends when she called in her time of desperation? Nervous was an understatement at the moment. Ahmose was way past nervous. He was completely petrified. Plus, he didn't know the extent of Serena's injures, making this situation even more uncomfortable.

Mrs. Tsukino fumbled with the hemming of her blouse, staring at the ground as they rode the elevator. She didn't quite know how to break the news to Ahmose that one of his closest friends was in a…. _coma_…. She quickly took a deep breath to pull herself together. Everything was so fresh in her mind and her emotions were running a little wild. Keeping it together was essential right now.

When the elevator doors opened to reveal the ICU floor Mrs. Tsukino abruptly grabbed Ahmose's wrist, gripping it tight. Her eyes were pleading as she looked into his anxious face. They stepped out of the elevator and made their way down the hall. They stopped when they were facing a room. Ahmose assumed that was Serena's room.

"Ahmose, thank you for coming. I know that you and Serena are so close, I just wanted you to hear about her condition from us and not from word of mouth."

He nodded, his blonde bangs falling gracefully in front of his eyes, "I understand…."

She inhaled, "There's something that you need to know about Serena's condition…."

After an extremely long stretch of silence Ahmose was daring enough to ask, his voice full of nervousness, "What's her condition? You told me she was stable on the phone…."

Another long pause.

"Mrs. Tsukino?"

A tear fell, and then another, and suddenly a stream of tears accumulated from Serena's mother's pained eyes. Slight sobbing noises emerged from the back of her throat. "I'm sorry, Ahmose, this is just so overwhelming."

The tall blonde teen pulled Serena's petite mother into an embrace and lightly rubbed her back while she cried. Minutes passed before Mrs. Tsukino was able to control herself and finally wipe her eyes and gain composure.

"Serena's in a coma."

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><p>"Serena was involved in the accident!?" Yugi shouted in surprise into his cell phone.<p>

"What!?" Joey and Mai hollered in unison at Yugi who shushed them immediately. He was talking on the phone with Mokuba, Kaiba's younger brother. Mokuba had called to inform Yugi of the car accident that Kaiba was recently in. Mokuba had no one else to share his grief with and he considered Yugi a close friend regardless of the negative feeling his elder brother harbored towards Yugi. Upon hearing about the accident, Yugi had asked Mokuba who else was involved. He had found that Serena Tsukino, Mai's new roommate, had been the one who collided with Kaiba. Yugi pieced together that Kaiba and Serena must've crashed when Serena had left them to pick up a couple necessities from the nearby store.

"Okay… Thanks Mokuba… Yeah…. We'll be there as soon as we can… Bye." Yugi pressed the 'end' button and shoved his cell into his pocket. He saw Joey and Mai staring at him, mouths agape. They were apprehensive, knowing full well that this was serious.

The three of them had been worried about Serena and her whereabouts last night when Serena's parents called and informed Mai that she was in the hospital and that they would call when it was possible to stop by to see her. Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino had said nothing else, just that Serena was in the hospital. It had left them all extremely troubled. Now that Yugi had gotten Mokuba's phone call, they could start piecing together the events that had taken place yesterday. Before then, they were completely ignorant of Serena's situation. They still sort of were, but at least they knew somewhat of what happened.

"Yugi, what happened?" Mai asked, her voice slightly shaking and her face full of concern.

"Kaiba got into a severe car accident."

"We know that part Yug," Joey said, "But what happened to Serena? Is she alright?"

Yugi looked up at his best friend, "She's fine, I wouldn't say _alright_."

"What do you mean by that?" Mai asked.

"Well…." Yugi paused to garner what he was going to say next, "I don't know how else to say this, but…. Serena's in a coma."

"WHAT!?" The two blondes screamed.

Yugi nodded sadly, "Yeah, the doctors don't know when she'll wake up. What they told Mokuba was that Kaiba and Serena are _extremely_ lucky to be alive. Both of them were inches from death when they were wheeled into the ER."

"Yer kiddin'!" Joey shouted, "What hospital are they at?"

"Domino Hospital."

Mai shook her head, thinking deeply about the situation, "This is crazy…. Poor Serena…" Serena and Mai had just gotten off to a good start at being roommates, now Serena may not even remember Mai when she wakes up, or worse, she may not wake up at all. Mai's skin crawled at her last thought and she hugged herself.

Joey rubbed her back to comfort her, "It'll be okay, Mai. Serena will wake up! I promise!"

It was as if Joey had read her mind, however, they needed to think logically. She gave her fellow blonde a thoughtful look, "Joey, don't jump to conclusions, we have no idea how Serena is doing, and her parents won't let us see her."

The blonde teen frowned at Mai's response, "Well, it doesn't hurt to be optimistic, ya know?"

"Joey's right," Yugi stepped in, "We don't know the full situation yet, and that's why we need to go see Kaiba."

Joey perked his head up, his frown deepening, "Why do we need to go see moneybags? He probably doesn't know anything, and even if he did Yug, he'd never tell us. He's way too damn stubborn!"

"Wheeler has a point, Yugi," Mai said, "Kaiba would never tell us anything, plus he probably doesn't want any visitors right now."

"_I _don't want to visit _him_!" Joey commented.

"Regardless of what Kaiba wants, Mokuba wants to meet us at the hospital, and I will go with or without you guys." Yugi stated firmly.

Joey chuckled lightly, "Do you think we'd let you go by yourself, Yug?"

Mai slightly giggled and joined in, "We would have to be crazy to let you go see Kaiba alone and defenseless. I don't care if he's bedridden, Kaiba is still a whirlwind and not fun to mess with."

Yugi smirked, and the three of them left the dorms, racing down the stairs and out to the parking lot. They jumped into Mai's vehicle and headed off to search for their awaiting answers.

* * *

><p>There was a rapping on the door to the hospital room. Mokuba Kaiba quickly rose from the uncomfortable hospital chair he was resting in and made his way to see who was there. Seeing Yugi, Joey, and Mai on the other side he placed a finger over his lips and shushed them. He exited the room and stood in the hallway outside the door, shutting it softly.<p>

"Sorry, he's asleep," Mokuba explained, "I'm glad you guys could make it."

Yugi nodded, "Thanks for letting us know. Trust me, we truly appreciate it. We would still be worried about what had happened to Serena if it weren't for you."

"Yeah, absolutely, thanks for caring and taking the time to listen to what happened to my brother," Mokuba thanked.

Yugi nodded and gave the raven-haired teen a sincere smile, "Of course, Mokuba."

The young Kaiba looked over at Mai, "So Serena was your roommate at Domino University?"

Mai nodded, "Yeah…. Joey, Yugi, and I were helping her move in on the day of the accident."

"Seto's enrolled at Domino University as well, I didn't know that's where all of you were going."

"Yeah," Yugi replied, "We didn't know Kaiba was going there either."

Mokuba smirked faintly, "I forced him to take a couple classes."

Joey was getting sick of all the small talk. He wanted to get to the bottom of the whole situation, "Hey, speaking of Kaiba, how's he doing?"

Mokuba shrugged, "He's fine one moment, then the next he's completely out of it. It's weird."

Yugi cocked his head at Kaiba's younger sibling, "What do you mean, Mokuba?"

Mokuba sighed, "It's hard to explain, but it's almost as if he's dreaming all of the time."

"Don't you think that's from the drugs?" Mai inquired.

"I think that's part of it," Mokuba noted, "however, he shouts in his sleep. Drugs would be able to subdue that."

"What if they were wearing off?" Joey questioned.

Mokuba shrugged, "Possible, yet sometimes I have to shake him to wake him up. The doctors say it's normal for someone who has experienced something so traumatic recently, but it's just bizarre. Maybe it's because I'm not used to this kind of thing… I don't know…"

Yugi smiled, optimism radiating from him, "Well, if the doctors say it's normal than it must be. Your brother could possibly be dreaming of the accident and that might be what startles him."

The young teen nodded, fixing his eyes on the floor for a moment, then he giggled and said, "One time he woke up and asked me if I had any cheese, then he fell back to sleep."

Joey laughed loudly, "I wish I was there to see that."

Mokuba smiled, "It was pretty unexpected," the teen abruptly turned and opened up the door a crack to poke his head inside to peer in, "The morphine should be wearing off soon," he whispered and then turned to the group, "would you wanna go in?"

Joey's eyes widened, "And see Kaiba?"

Mokuba merely nodded.

Joey shook his head, "No offense Mokuba, but I think we're the last people your brother wants to see right now."

"He might be too out of it to notice, Joey."

Mai gave Joey a suggesting glance, "The kid's gotta point Wheeler, and I think if we saw Kaiba's condition it would give us a good idea of what Serena's condition might be."

Yugi agreed, "She's right, Joey. Even if you don't want to see Kaiba it might give us some clues on Serena."

"Wait a second," Mokuba interrupted quickly, "You haven't visited Serena yet?"

"No," Yugi began, "after you called we rushed over to see you and Kaiba. Serena's parent's had called Mai to let her know that Serena got into an accident but we aren't allowed to visit her yet."

"Wow, I'm sorry to hear that," Mokuba stated, "I haven't been told too much information about how Serena is doing either. Hopefully we find out more." With that Mokuba lead them into the white hospital room. The blinds were shut, but there was a bouquet of blue flowers and a few cards sitting close to the window. The television that hung from the ceiling across from Kaiba's bed was muted with an episode of _Seinfeld _playing. The florescent lighting was dimmed so that Kaiba could sleep. The monitors next to Kaiba's bed were beeping lightly and displayed different colors and numbers on the screen. The IV bag dripped small droplets of water when needed.

Kaiba was resting peacefully in his bed, a breathing respirator connected to his nose, while other tubes were attached to his arms, hands and chest. The sight of Kaiba was unreal to his three visitors. The usually strong, ruthless, CEO was now positioned in a humbling hospital bed. His brown hair was messy, and there were bandages wrapped around his forehead, shoulders, arms, torso, and possibly other areas that were not visible due to the blanket covering his resting form.

Mokuba turned to the three stunned guests and whispered, "I'm gonna try waking him up. He might be really groggy and in a _ton_ of pain at first, but he'll come to, I promise." No one said anything and Mokuba walked over to the side of the bed. He leaned over and shook his older brother lightly on the arm at first. When Kaiba did not stir Mokuba shook him more fiercely.

A small, aggrieved groan was heard in the back of Kaiba's throat. His eyes began to twitch and flutter open as he roused from his slumber. Blue, hazy eyes focused on concerned gray, as Kaiba's fuzzy mind comprehended that his younger brother had disrupted his sleep.

"Big brother?" Mokuba asked quietly, "How are you feeling?"

It was a while before Kaiba had decided to give an answer. Pain had consumed his mind and body, as it always did when the morphine wore off. He grumbled multiple times before replying, "Terrible…."

Mokuba smirked and joked, "The usual."

Kaiba's vision was blurred and his head spun. The dizziness always made him want to vomit, but it soon passed as reality sunk in like miserable, hot venom. A pounding headache crept its way through his head as the wooziness and the nausea faded. Kaiba began to ask Mokuba his usual questions about his circumstance, "Am I still at the hospital."

This particular question was always the hardest to answer even though Seto had only asked it a few times in the past thirty hours or so since he'd been there. Mokuba wanted to say no, he wanted to say that everything was okay and that they were back home. However, Mokuba was forced to answer the opposite of what he wanted to say, "Yes, Seto, you're still at the hospital."

The CEO growled in frustration, "How long have I been here?" For the life of him he could not remember. It felt like a curse. It felt like he had been bedridden for years. Maybe he was, and this was something that angered Kaiba to the core.

"Almost two days," Mokuba replied.

Kaiba took a deep breath to relieve his mind; this caused his broken ribs to strain making him cough violently.

Mokuba patted his brother's back, "Take it easy! Your ribs are broken!"

Another pained rumble of frustration absconded from Kaiba. Everything was suddenly so challenging. Stupid hospital! Stupid car accident! Stupid Serena…. Serena…. _Serena_…. One of his first thoughts after waking up from this whole incident had been _her_. When Kaiba ceased to cough he looked up at his brother, grief in his eyes, "Mokuba, how is Serena?"

The raven-haired teen frowned, "She's still in a coma, Seto…."

Kaiba shook his head hard. _Why_? Why did this have to happen?

"K-Kaiba?" A timid voice spoke up and the CEO whipped his head around in the direction of the speaker. Yugi Muto, Joey Wheeler, and Mai Valentine were standing at the foot of his bed. How he had not noticed them before was beyond him, but he figured he'd blame it on the morphine.

Yugi took a step forward and repeated his name, "Kaiba, do you know what happened to Serena?"

* * *

><p>Ahmose softly rubbed miniscule circles into Serena's motionless hand with his thumb. He was alone in her room, just sitting next to her. It was as if she was lifeless, nothing but a shell of someone who once was. It was disheartening seeing his best friend this way. Ahmose's heart clenched and withered in pain at the agony Serena had suffered in the past day or so. He never wanted anyone to suffer, Serena especially. She was too kind, too sweet, and too <em>genuine<em> for something like _this_ to happen to her.

Ahmose took in her scratched up face, bandages hiding what were sure to be deep cuts in her once flawless complexion. The rest of her body was wrapped in an array of bandages as well. Her magnificent blonde hair was sprawled across her pillow, and her blue eyes were cruelly hidden from the world.

Comatose. Serena was _comatose_. There was nothing Ahmose could do. He couldn't save her from her coma. He couldn't save her, and that bothered him more than anything. If he hadn't been so irresponsible the night before, he would've answered her phone call and came to her help.

Ahmose had replayed her voicemail over and over after he had heard about the accident from Mrs. Tsukino. Oh, how he regretted not answering Serena's call. He regretted it so much that once he replayed the message, he punched a hole right through his dorm room wall. He was so upset with himself, and now Serena was in this critical state. He could've prevented this, but he didn't, and that burned him to the core. He hated himself for it.

He gripped his best friends immobile hand and thought about their relationship. Serena and Ahmose had been friends growing up, and he'd do anything in the world for her, still to this day, he would do _anything _for her. Nothing had ever sparked the possibility of severing their friendship, until now. Ahmose had a strong gut feeling that Serena would never forgive him for not being there for her when she needed him. Ahmose knew _he _could never forgive himself. If Serena never woke up from this, Ahmose would never be able to live with himself.

His thumb began to move in the opposite direction now, rubbing circles counter-clockwise. The room was still and quiet, the only noise to be made were the faint sobs and teardrops hitting the floor. A few of Ahmose's tears fell onto Serena's pale hand, the drops of water gliding gracefully down her slender fingers, falling off her fingertips.

'_Serena,'_ Ahmose stared her down, his eyes stinging with bitter tears, _'I promise you, I'll never let you down again. You have my word.' _He clutched her hand tighter, making sure that their fingers were entwined so that he was truly holding her hand.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Holy WOW! That took forever! I literally wrote this in almost one sitting, no lie. PLEASE REVIEW! Reviews are like candy, I'm not even kidding. MORE TO COME SOON! HOORAY! **


	12. Apology

**A/N: So, I'm trying to stay ahead on my updates. I obviously want to complete this story, and the more updates, the quicker I can reach my goal! Hooray! **

**NOPE! I STILL DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR YUGIOH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 12- Apology<p>

"What in God's name are _you_ three doing here?" Came the sarcastic question from the cold-blooded, hospitalized, CEO of Kaiba Corp. He observed Yugi, Joey, and Mai with watchful eyes. All three of them seemed uncomfortable, like they were forced to come here.

Yugi's face hardened, he wasn't in the mood for Kaiba's attitude today. All he wanted were answers and he was sure that Mai and Joey wanted the same. However, if Yugi was going to get any answers he had to be patient with Kaiba. Kaiba would likely refuse to give out any details if Yugi didn't cooperate with him. "Kaiba, do you know what happened to Serena?" He had repeated this question. Hopefully, Kaiba would just give him a solid response.

The brunette shook his head, "Why would I tell you? You haven't even told me why you're here. And if you haven't noticed, I'm critically injured and not in a stable state to answer your pathetic questions."

Of course, this was going to be _much_ harder than Yugi had anticipated. Kaiba's arrogance was worse now more than ever, and he was going to milk the fact that he was laying in a hospital bed for all that it was worth. That _bastard_.

Yugi inhaled intensely before he spoke, "Look Kaiba, we aren't here as your enemies. We're here because, one: we care about you whether or not you want to believe that, and two: Serena is Mai's roommate and we are concerned about her. We need your help."

Kaiba sneered, "You need my help? Why?"

"Because Serena's parents told us practically nothing about the accident," Yugi explained, "We were worried sick until Mokuba called to tell us about your accident. From him we found out that Serena was involved."

Kaiba was silent. Moments passed before anyone spoke. The tension was high. Kaiba seemed to be boiling as he laid there, heat nearly radiated off of him. He looked rather upset knowing that his rival was here to see him.

After a while, Yugi decided it was best to say something, "Her parents won't even let us see her, Kaiba."

Blue eyes iced over, "Look Yugi, I know nothing of value to you. Mokuba just stated that she was in a coma. That's it."

"That's not all there is to it, Kaiba," Yugi said, "We want to know what happened, _how_ she got into the accident."

Kaiba shook his head, "I don't know, don't you think I've been asking myself that same question?"

The room fell silent once again. The tension eased as the group could see the confusion and frustration in Kaiba's eyes. He really _didn't_ know.

"I'm sorry," Was all that Yugi could say.

Mokuba stepped forward to face Serena's new friends, "The police said that Serena may have been at more fault than Seto, however, the damage was too severe to make any rational assumptions. All they know was that the two collided at an intersection downtown. The cars are completely totaled. Both are lucky to be alive, even though Serena's in a coma."

"Do you know anything else about Serena, Mokuba?" Mai asked.

Mokuba shook his head, "No, unfortunately…."

"She was awake…."

All four abruptly turned their heads in surprise at Kaiba. Their curious eyes were wide with shock.

"What did you say?" Yugi probed.

Kaiba looked up at them, examining each person with cold, dark blue eyes. There was a pained look on his face, like he was waging a war against his thoughts, his memories. "She was awake."

The four stared at him with aching curiosity, anticipating his next words.

He swallowed hard, forcing the metallically, medically produced taste to leave his mouth. He knew that his memories were fogging, but maybe explaining what he did remember might trigger the rest of his memories on the accident. "I don't remember everything, just some things." He paused for a very long time, wondering where he should begin. He closed his eyes halfway, thinking hard, "There was…. a horn, a loud car horn. _My_ car horn."

He shook his head painfully, "It happened so fast that I didn't even know what to do. It didn't feel real. Everything went black and then I woke up. The first thing I _truly_ remember was…." He suddenly felt liquid warmth on his chest and clutched the material of the hospital gown. A familiar scent flooded through his nostrils even though the breathing respirator was there. He winced when he realized what he was remembering, "Blood."

The group was still just as silent as before.

"My blood was everywhere, and when I finally got out of the car I saw my battered reflection," It still didn't seem real to him, yet he continued, "I heard her cry out for somebody to help her, so I started running. I had no idea where she was and every inch of my body hurt. I saw her blood and eventually found her." The image of Serena beat up and bloody all over the concrete flashed through his mind, making his skin crawl. "She was awake. She was responsive and talking to me. I lifted her car door off of her legs." Kaiba looked down at his hands, remembering the raw cuts that the metal gave him. There were bandages wrapped around his hands. Suddenly, an impulse hit him. He _needed_ to know if what he was remembering was actually a memory or not. He wanted proof that he wasn't losing his mind over this whole thing. He started peeling off the bandages with abrasive force, ripping the material to shreds.

"Seto stop!" Mokuba shouted, "You need those!" he grabbed his brother's hands, fighting with him, trying to force Seto to stop.

"No, Mokuba," Seto yelled back, "I need to do this!" he continued to rip apart the material while fighting over control with his brother. "I need to do this!"

"Stop it!" Mokuba screamed, "Your hands are cut! You need those to heal them!"

Like a vicious animal, Kaiba whirled his brother away from him and finally reached his objective. The bandages lay in a messy heap on Kaiba's lap. Holding his hands up close to his face, he saw them, the dried blood and the scars that would forever be etched into his skin. It _was_ real! He wasn't crazy! His memory did not fail him. Now, he would be able to sleep better knowing that the dreams that plagued him were memories.

Mokuba sighed, "I'm sorry guys, this is the weirdness I was talking about."

No one responded. All were fixated on Kaiba, and Kaiba was fixated on his hands.

Once Kaiba stopping being captivated by his hands, he put them down and continued, "Serena's legs were completely covered in blood and there was a huge gash in one of them. I tried helping her but she passed out on me and so did I shortly after."

Yugi had a concerned, caring look in his eyes, "I'm sorry, Kaiba. You didn't deserve this, and neither does Serena."

Kaiba held up one sliced, scarred hand to his rival to stop him from apologizing, "I don't need your sympathy, Yugi. I gave you your little story. Now leave."

"But, Kaiba-"

The short teen was cut off, "Leave Yugi, you have no business being here."

"Kaiba, we just want to figure out what happened!" Yugi replied.

"I already told you what happened! Now leave! I'm not in the mood for pesky visitors!" The CEO had snapped. He was sick and tired of everything right now. It was a lot to take in after an accident. His memories on the incident were happily haunting him and he didn't feel like continuing discussions about it. His head began to pound, making him even more irritable than before.

Joey put a hand on Yugi's shoulder, "Come on, Yug, let's leave before Rich Boy snaps."

"Not that he hasn't already," Mai mumbled sarcastically. Kaiba shot her a death glare that she shot right back at him.

Mokuba sighed, "I'll walk you guy out."

The group exited the room leaving Kaiba alone with his scarred hands and bloody memories.

"I'm sorry you guys," Mokuba apologized, as he shut the door behind them, "I didn't mean for him to flip out on you."

Joey shrugged, "It's not like its something that we aren't used to from him."

"I hope you guys got the information you needed."

Yugi frowned, "Yes, however, why did Serena crash? I mean, she just got a new car, and the police believe that it was her fault, so why would she crash? It just doesn't add up."

"A lot of things are unexplainable, Yug," Joey offered, "Maybe she was having car problems or something?"

"But on a new car?" Mai questioned, "It just doesn't make sense."

"The part that we're all confused about is the fact that Serena turned down our offer to go with her to the store," Yugi stated, "It was as if she _really_ didn't want us to go with."

Mokuba shrugged, "I'm sorry. I know you thought Seto would know more, but…." He trailed off knowing that his brother was a tad bit crazy right now, and knowing that Seto didn't have the information that Yugi, Joey and Mai wanted.

"Actually," Mai spoke up, "Kaiba did give us something that was useful"

"Like what?" Joey asked.

"He said that Serena was crying out for help _and_ talking to him, meaning that she was conscious, meaning that she went into a coma _after_ the accident."

"What're you trying to say Mai?" Yugi inquired.

"What I'm saying is, Serena's head injuries perhaps aren't as bad as we thought. If she was able to talk to Kaiba, the swelling in her brain must not be that bad, so hopefully her coma shouldn't last long."

"Wow! When did you become a doctor?" Joey expressed.

Mai rolled her eyes, "I'm just putting two and two together."

Yugi turned to Mokuba, "Will you let us know when you find out anything else?"

Mokuba nodded, "Of course! Thanks for coming you guys."

Yugi smiled cheerfully, "Thanks for letting us talk to your brother."

The young Kaiba smirked in a way that reminded them all of his older brother, "Anytime."

* * *

><p>School was dreadful. Ahmose couldn't focus on anything other than Serena. He had tried so hard to get some sleep the night before, however, he had just found himself tossing and turning, thinking only of her. He gave up trying to concentrate on his professor's hours ago. Nothing was going to make sense today. Nothing was going to make sense for a while.<p>

The aching questions haunted him. Why did this happen? Was it because her and Darien had broken up? Did she do this on purpose? When would she wake up to tell him everything? Would she ever wake up?

Ahmose hung his head on the desk and closed his dreary eyes. Nothing was alright….

"Hey, Ahmose," a voice called out to him. It seemed distant, and his entire body was shaking.

"Ahmose!" He heard his name again, it was closer this time and the shaking increased.

"Come on man, wake up!" His eyes fluttered open and Ahmose looked up. Vincent was standing over him, giving him an odd look.

"What's happening?" Ahmose asked, rubbing his tired eyes.

"You fell asleep during class," Vincent stated, "You look like complete hell. What happened? Did you party last night or something?"

Ahmose shook his head and yawned loudly, "No, I was up all night with a friend."

A smirk crept up the sides of Vincent's lips, "What kind of friend? Please tell me she was good."

Ahmose gave him a distasteful glance, "No, not _that_ kind of friend." Ahmose sighed heavily, "One of my closest friends got into a car accident and I was visiting her at the hospital last night. I didn't sleep well."

"Apparently not," Vincent stated, "How is she doing?"

"Not good," Ahmose answered, "She's in a coma…." Ahmose glanced at the clock on the wall. It was four-thirty. _Four-thirty_! He was going to be late visiting Serena! "Look, Vincent, I'm late for something. I have to go. See you later." With that Ahmose bolted out of the classroom, leaving Vincent behind.

* * *

><p>He limped carefully through the hospital halls, trying not to wince at the pain that invaded his body. He took short breaths, trying not to aggravate his broken ribs, however, all of the effort that this walk required was causing him to breathe heavier than he'd expected. He could tell that he wouldn't last long without his breathing respirator and his IV's. A couple nurses came up to him and asked him if he needed assistance getting somewhere, but his cold stare chased them away quickly. He was trying his best not to attract attention to himself, but when there's a battered patient limping through the halls it's pretty hard not to look. No one forced him back into his room, which made this mission easier to accomplish.<p>

It was five o'clock. Unfortunately, the doctors and nurses were out and about, however, this was one of the only times that Mokuba wasn't at the hospital visiting him. The younger Kaiba had gone home to eat dinner and finish his homework. Kaiba saw this as the perfect opportunity to do what he'd wanted to do for a few days now.

His dreams had been haunting him endlessly. Each dream consisted of _her,_ and when he woke up, his thoughts wrapped around _her_. She never left his mind. Kaiba wondered how she was doing. Sure, he'd heard how she was from the doctors, nurses, and Mokuba, but that wasn't the same. He needed to see her, and this was his chance.

Kaiba crept up to her door and peered at the name on it. Room 416: _Serena Tsukino._ Before opening the door, he glanced inside to make sure no one was there. The coast was clear, and Kaiba hobbled into the room.

Kaiba froze when he saw Serena's motionless form on the bed. She looked…. _Angelic_. There was certain glow about her; however, Kaiba blamed it on the relief he felt from actually seeing her for the first time since the crash. The blood that had been dripping off of her that day was now all cleaned up, and her open wounds were concealed. Her pretty blonde hair was neatly scattered across the pillow. There was a breathing respirator, just like the one Kaiba had, connected to her nose. The monitors clicked and beeped, the IV bag dripped a clear liquid, and her pulse flashed in lined-beats on a screen.

A chilling sensation crept up Kaiba's spine as he realized how similar their scenarios were. Both were stuck on the ICU floor of Domino Hospital, both were at the mercy of monitors, nurses, and doctors, and both of them had scars leftover from their accident. The only difference was Serena's coma….

Kaiba staggered over to the nearest chair next to Serena's bedside and sat down. He took a good look at the girl who he had crashed with. Kaiba was incredibly relieved to see that she was _alive_. Kaiba remembered, and dreamt about, the unconscious Serena that was covered in blood, lying on the cold, debris-ridden pavement. A shudder ran through him as he tried to compose himself. Was this all too much for him? No, Serena was alive and that was all that mattered. But, she was in a coma…. Nothing was fine….

Kaiba's face hardened in frustration, _'She was talking! She answered my questions! So why is she in a coma?'_ These thoughts disturbed him. They ran through his mind on a daily basis, and all Kaiba wanted to do was know that Serena was going to awaken from her coma. Knowing that there was no definite answer, made Kaiba want to punch a wall. When a situation couldn't be controlled it drove Kaiba insane. He felt responsible for all of this. How was he supposed to live with himself if she never woke up again? He would blame himself forever, and that was something that Kaiba didn't want to do.

The blue-eyed brunette abruptly grabbed Serena's pale hand and held it tightly. He glared her down, his eyes demanding her to wake up. She didn't, however, Kaiba almost jumped out of his seat when he saw her eyelid twitch. Was she waking up, or was it just an involuntary nerve twitching?

"Serena…."

Her eyes twitched again.

Kaiba swallowed hard, "Serena, can you hear me?"

Her eyes continued to shudder, and then her hand began to lightly spasm within his. It was one of the most amazing things Kaiba had seen. Was she really responding to him? Was she waking up? With everything in him, he hoped so.

The spasms began to fade, and Kaiba instantly felt like he'd hit rock bottom. This was not happening to him! This couldn't have been just false hope! Kaiba want to scream, instead he said, "Serena? Can you still hear me?"

Nothing. There was no movement.

Kaiba's heart sank. All he wanted was for Serena to wake up. "Serena?"

Moments past and there was still nothing.

Kaiba gulped, "Serena…. I'm…. so sorry…." He placed a hand on his strained forehead. He felt so guilty. How could this have happened? He never wanted to be the reason for somebody to end up in a coma. Kaiba wanted to run, run far away and leave this terrible place. Yet, something kept him glued right to his chair. He realized it was Serena's hand in his…. It was… _Serena _that kept him sitting there. Even in her unconsciousness she could control him. This amazed Kaiba, how someone he didn't even know could warp his mind like this. A small smile etched its way onto Kaiba's lips as he though the strangest thought of his life, _'When this girl wakes up, I __**need**__ to get to know her.'_

* * *

><p>Ahmose was out of breath when he made it to Serena's door. He was surprised to find that her family was not hanging around like they usually did. Her family was the main reason why he had ran all the way from Domino University to the hospital. Ahmose was trying not to disappoint them, and being late to visiting hours would defiantly have disappointed the Tsukino's. They were nowhere to be seen which was bizarre.<p>

_'Maybe they went out to eat,'_ Ahmose thought, as he was about to enter the room. He froze when he heard something odd coming from inside.

"Serena…. I'm…. so sorry…."

Ahmose peered in and saw a man with brown hair holding Serena's hand. He placed his hand on his forehead, hiding his face from Ahmose's view. The man was tall and appeared to be a patient. The man began to move and Ahmose hid outside of the room.

_'Who the heck was that,'_ he thought, _'could he be a psychotic patient or something? I haven't seen him visit Serena before….' _

Suddenly a nurse came flying into the room. She didn't even notice Ahmose standing close by the door.

"Mr. Kaiba!" Ahmose heard the nurse squeal, "What in the world do you think you're doing? You're not supposed to leave your bed without assistance!"

_'Mr…. __**Kaiba**__!?'_ Ahmose thought, _'What the hell is he doing in Serena's room?'_

"Come on, Mr. Kaiba," the nurse said, "you need to get hooked back up to your breathing respirator and IV. It's extremely dangerous for someone in your condition to be out and about."

_'Breathing respirator and IV?'_ Ahmose contemplated what the nurse said, _'What happened to him? He was fine a few days ago in class. I don't understand why-'_ Ahmose gasped suddenly at his revelation. _'Kaiba was the one who collided with Serena!'_

A few moments later the nurse and Seto Kaiba came out of Serena's room. Both seemed completely oblivious to Ahmose's presence. Kaiba was limping badly down the hallway, and Ahmose knew for a fact that his earlier assumption was correct. Kaiba and Serena _had_ crashed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This took forever! Holy cow! Sorry that Kaiba is going a little bit crazy, I mean, wouldn't you be crazy too if you were in a bad car accident? Anyway, he's trying to piece the incident together in his head, thus making him nuts. Haha, anyway next chapter is where the plot thickens even more! I'm pretty excited. Please review and let me know what you think. I love feedback, it helps me so much as a writer. Thank you! Until next time! **


	13. The Criminal

**A/N: Update! This makes me happy! I hope this makes you happy too. Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Enjoy.**

**I DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 13- The Criminal<p>

It was like a vile nightmare, watching his usually bubbly, happy, best friend lay practically lifeless in her hospital bed. It was a cruel joke. It _had_ to be. This entire situation was just a dreadful prank, wasn't it? Just looking at Serena's calm, non-communicative face made Ahmose feel like there was hope. She looked so peaceful, so _serene_. She had no idea of the wars that were waging in Ahmose's heart. All he wanted was for her to wake up, smile at him, and ask what happened. Was that too much to ask? Apparently, it was, considering she was still not out of her comatose state.

Ahmose felt a slight tinge of rage build up within him. When he heard Seto Kaiba apologize to Serena yesterday, he was shocked. First of all, it was Seto Kaiba _apologizing_, which never happened, the guy was a jerk. Second, why would he be apologizing if the accident were not his fault? Ahmose was sure he knew the truth. Kaiba had caused the collision, and now Serena was left in a coma because of his _carelessness_! The rage grew stronger within Ahmose's heart. He felt so _cheated_! Cheated of the time that was quickly passing away, time that he could spend with Serena. It was a revolting reality that felt more like a rabid delusion.

Ahmose stood up quickly and took one last look at his best friend before leaving. The nurses bid him farewell on his way out of the hospital. When he stepped outside the autumn wind was cold and chilled his skin. Ahmose smiled at the feeling, in an eerie way it was refreshing, it made him feel like he was living instead of constantly being trapped in a bad dream.

_Beep. Beep. Beep. _

Ahmose's cell phone began to vibrate and he dug the device quickly out of his jacket pocket.

"Hello?"

_"Hey man, what's up?"_ A familiar voice asked on the other line.

Ahmose sighed, "Hey Vincent, not much, just leaving the hospital."

_"Oh, how is your friend? Is she doing any better?"_

Ahmose gave another heavy sigh, "No…. Still the same…."

Concern crept its way into Vincent's voice, _"I'm so sorry…. Do you have any idea of when she'll be alright?"_

Ahmose shook his head, his voice dropping real low, "No..."

_"What caused the accident?"_ Vincent asked.

Everything within Ahmose wanted to shout _Seto Kaiba_! Ahmose held back however, "I'm not quite sure yet…." An out-of-the-blue thought suddenly struck Ahmose, something that he should've thought of before! "Hey, can I call you back? I have an important phone call to make."

_"You're ditching me again, man?" _

"I'm sorry," Ahmose said, his voice was full of urgency, "I really gotta make this phone call. I promise I'll call you back right after."

_"Are you still at the hospital?"_

Confusion struck itself upon Ahmose's face, "Yeah, why?"

_"Just meet me at the coffee shop on 6__th__ street when you're done, it's nearby the hospital."_

"Okay, sounds good. See you, man." Ahmose hung up the phone. Quickly, he searched through his contacts on the device and eventually found the one he was looking for. Pressing the call button, Ahmose swung the phone up to his ear and tapped his fingers impatiently against his thigh as he stood in the cold air waiting for an answer. The other line went straight to voicemail and Ahmose re-dialed the number. Voicemail _again_. He dialed the number one last time and finally, on the last ring, a gruff voice answered.

_"Hello?"_ The voice was deep and low. The person sounded terrible.

"Hello, Darien?" Ahmose asked. The voice seemed practically unfamiliar to him.

A heavy sigh exasperated through the other line, _"This is."_

Ahmose's voice became stern, "Darien, this is Ahmose."

_"I know, I have caller ID,"_ he said, _"What do you want?"_

Why was he being so unusually unpleasant? This wasn't like Darien at all. "You know what happened to Serena, right?"

Another heavy sigh, _"I'm not stupid."_

Ahmose assumed that that had meant yes. "Why haven't you visited her?"

_"We broke up."_

"On the day of the crash," Ahmose replied quickly, "Serena left me a voicemail after she got off of the phone with you. The next thing I knew she was in the hospital due to a car accident."

_"What are you trying to say?"_

The sternness in Ahmose's voice increased dramatically, he wasn't about to stand here and beat around the bush any longer. "My question is _why_ did Serena crash? Does it have something to do with you?"

The other line was silent. It felt like Ahmose had been standing there for years waiting for his answer. After a good minute of muteness Darien decided to reply, _"Why would a car accident have anything to do with me?"_

Darien was clearly avoiding the question, "You were the last person she talked to. What happened, Darien?"

_"We broke up, I already told you that."_ His voice was shaky and curt. Ahmose could sense the guilt through the phone.

"Did _you_ break up with _her_?"

_"This isn't a private investigation, quit asking me questions, Ahmose." _

Anger flooded through Ahmose and he shouted into the phone, "This turned into an investigation when my best friend fell into a coma! I need to know what happened so I can fix this!"

_"You can't fix anything, Ahmose! Serena's coma is out of our hands!"_ Darien shouted back.

"Why haven't you visited her? Is it because you feel too guilty, because you caused the accident!?" Ahmose shouted. He was urgent in finding out who left Serena in this terrible state. Ahmose needed to know if the culprit was Darien or Kaiba.

_"We broke up, I cannot go see her." _

Ahmose's wrath rained down through the phone, "YOU DATED HER FOR TWO YEARS! I WOULD SEE HER IF I WERE IN YOUR POSITION!"

_"Stop shouting! It wasn't my fault!"_ Darien snapped back.

"BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU FEEL GUILTY!" Ahmose snapped back. He was going to get his answer one way or another. He needed to get to the bottom of this and find out who caused the accident.

Silence filled the phone line. Ahmose could've sworn Darien had hung up, but he didn't hear the click that signaled that their conversation was over. He continued to speak, his voice filled with a low malice, "You caused the accident, Darien, it's _your_ fault. If you felt that it wasn't your fault then you'd be here visiting Serena. Your guilt has led you to stray from the entire situation."

_ "It wasn't my fault! I didn't know she was driving at the time of the accident! I didn't know she'd be so upset-" _

"LIAR!" Ahmose screamed, "YOU LIAR!"

Darien yelled back, _"I'm not lying, I swear to you I had no idea that us breaking up would cause this accident! You need to believe me, Ahmose."_

"Then why haven't you seen her yet?" Ahmose huffed.

Darien was silent.

"Exactly," Ahmose accused, "you're guilty…. I knew you were bad news for her. I knew from the day I laid eyes on you."

_"I'm not guilty, I just don't want to feel more guilty than I already do."_

"Are you admitting to being the cause of the crash?"

Ahmose could hear Darien swallow, _"I didn't cause that crash! I didn't know that breaking up with her over the phone would cause her get into a car accident. If I would've known that I wouldn't have-"_

"You wouldn't have what!?" Ahmose barked, "Broken up with her over the phone?" There was a long, drawn out hush. Ahmose's anger got the better of him and he whispered lowly into the speaker, "You _bastard_…."

There was another long moment of silence and then Ahmose completely snapped, "YOU BASTARD! I KNEW YOU WERE NO GOOD FOR HER! IF YOU LOVED HER YOU WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH HER!" Ahmose took a deep breath, "You're nothing but a guilty liar, Darien…. That's all you'll ever be."

_"Jerk…."_ Darien mumbled. There was a dangerous hatred now growing between them.

"You knew I was better off with her, but you didn't care! All you ever cared about was yourself!"

Darien growled, _"She chose __**me**__!"_

"Maybe," Ahmose said with great cruelty, "but that's only because she believed all of your bullshit! You told her you'd always be there for her and look at you now! You selfish bastard! You haven't even seen her! She's in a coma because of _you_ and you don't even have the decency to visit her! You're no man, Darien, you're a frightened _child_!"

There was period of stillness, then Ahmose heard a click, and then the sound of a dial tone. Ahmose shoved his phone in his pocket viciously.

Darien had chickened out once again, but Ahmose was sure to make him pay for what he did to Serena. Darien would pay…. he would pay dearly….

* * *

><p>Yugi tossed and turned in his sleep. His head ached from his dream, he couldn't quite wrap his mind around the dreams meaning….<p>

_Yugi's dreamland…._

A woman with white hair who resembled Serena was sitting poised in a fancy, white chair. She wore an elegant white gown that hugged her delicate curves. She looked like royalty. Her face was full of eagerness and sadness. She was talking to him, but Yugi felt like he was a million miles away. Maybe it wasn't Yugi she was talking to, maybe it was…. the pharaoh?

"_I saw you,"_ the woman stated, _"I saw you, with my Serena."_

Yugi's double placed his hand on the white haired woman, _"Serenity, if there's anything that I can do-" _

"_Save Serena!"_ She cut him off in an urgent plea. There were tears forming in her eyes, _"I beg of you, Pharaoh! Please, save my daughter! She is going to live! She will help you in the future!"_

"_I can try,"_ replied the Pharaoh.

_ "Please," _Serenity begged once more,_ "If there's anything you can do, create an alliance with Prince Endymion…. That will only further the hope of my people."_

Yugi's dream seemed to fast-forward. The scene of Serenity and the pharaoh vanished and was replaced by another shifting scene. The room Yugi found himself in was dark and eerie. He saw an image of a man with black hair and eyes who was surrounded by darkness and walking towards him. The man was completely terrifying and he came at Yugi with frightening speed, grabbing him by the neck. It was as if he could feel the life fading from him as the man chocked him to death….

"Ah!" Yugi rose from bed with a start. He gasped for air as if he were still being choked. _'It was just a dream,' _he told himself. He touched his chest and noticed that there was nothing hanging from his neck. Yugi patted himself down searching for his glorious Millennium Puzzle that he always wore. It was gone! His puzzle was gone!

"Yugi?" a voice called his name in the darkness.

Yugi snapped out of his searching and looked over in the direction of the voice.

"Are you alright?" In the low lighting of the dorm room Yugi could sort of make out Joey's face. His eyes were filled with concern and sleepiness. Yugi was surprised that he was awake, Joey usually slept through everything.

"I heard you scream," Joey said, "Is everything okay?"

Yugi nodded, his voice was low and flat, "Yeah, just a nightmare. I'm sorry I woke you."

Joey yawned, "It's alright, what're you looking for?"

"My Millennium Puzzle," Yugi said, his voice glistened with panic, "It's gone!"

Through the darkness Yugi could see the extreme worry and confusion in Joey's eyes. There was a long, drawn out quietness. Joey's mouth opened slightly in shock. "Yugi…. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes!" Yugi snapped. He got up out of bed and continued looking for his puzzle.

When Joey saw this he immediately jumped out of bed and ran over to Yugi. He grabbed the smaller teen by the shoulders and locked eyes with him. Joey was filled with anxiety, "Yugi! Are you crazy, man?"

Sternness crossed Yugi's face, "What're you talking about, Joey?"

Joey's eyes widened, he was completely shocked, "What're _you_ talking about, Yug?"

Yugi glared at his best friend, "Anytime I have a nightmare like that it's because of the puzzle, but I can't seem to find it."

Joey blinked, his face still carried a shocked expression, "That's because you don't have the Millennium Puzzle anymore, Yug."

Now, shock struck Yugi, "What? What do you mean I don't have the puzzle anymore?"

"When we went to Egypt a little over a year ago to send Pharaoh Atem back home," Joey said, "all of the Millennium Items were destroyed, don't you remember?"

It clicked like the flick of a switch inside Yugi's brain. He suddenly remembered everything. Dueling Atem, winning, sending him to the afterlife, and placing all of the Millennium Items on the stone tablet so that the doors for the afterlife opened and Atem could crossover. It made sense now, so why was he just looking for the Millennium Puzzle? He didn't need it anymore.

"I remember, Joey," Yugi stated quietly.

A frown made its way onto Joey's lips, "Tell me what's wrong, Yug."

Yugi paused, took a deep breath to clear his head, and then spoke, "I had a disturbing dream."

Joey laughed, "Well, duh! I meant, what happened in your dream?"

Yugi swallowed hard, "Well…." He began to tell Joey of the contents of his dream, "There was this woman, a queen I believe, and she looked exactly like Serena. Her name was Serenity, and she was talking to me, uh, I mean the pharaoh. She was pleading with him, asking him if he would save Serena because she saw the pharaoh saving her kingdom. She said something about seeing Serena and him together in the future."

"Wait," Joey spoke quickly, "What do you mean in the future? That's not even possible, Atem is from the past." Joey was thoroughly confused.

Yugi shrugged, "It was a dream, Joey. Not all dreams make sense."

"Yeah, but you said that you haven't had these kind of dreams since you left your puzzle. You wouldn't have been looking for it so badly if the dream didn't mean anything."

"I never said that the dream didn't mean anything," Yugi stated, "all I said was that it was a dream, which means that it necessarily doesn't have to make sense."

"Okay," Joey nodded, "What else happened?"

"Serenity asked Atem if he would create an alliance with Prince Endymion to further the hope of her people," Yugi said.

"Who is Prince Endymion?" Joey asked.

Yugi shook his head, "I don't know, Joey. He sounded pretty important to Serenity, though..."

"Anything else?" Joey questioned.

Yugi looked down at the floor, "Yeah…. The worst part…."

Joey waited patiently for his friend to answer him.

After a session of silence Yugi decided to continue, "There was this man. He was enveloped by darkness; even his hair and eyes were black. He came at me so quickly and choked me to…." Yugi's violet eyes observed Joey's hazel ones, holding a steady stare before he spoke, "He choked me to death."

Joey frowned, he tried to comfort his friend, "It was just a dream, Yug, it doesn't mean anything. You'll be fine. We all will be fine. I'm sure your dream was just stress, that's all. We have a lot going on, with Serena and school…."

Even though Joey tried to ease Yugi's worries, this was just not something that was to be put in the back of their minds. "Joey, I think this dream is prophetic."

"What!?" Joey shouted, "Yugi, have you lost your marbles!? Now you're having prophetic dreams!? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Joey, with all of the crazy adventures we've been on, and you're calling _me _crazy! Sorry, but that's ridiculous!" A small smile lightened up Yugi's face.

That smile rubbed off on Joey when he realized how outrageous it was for him to call Yugi crazy when they've been through so much. "You're right, Yug. So what are we gonna do now?"

Yugi shrugged, "I'm not sure, Joey." He paused for a long moment, trying to think of his next thoughts. Finally, it hit him, "We might have to help Serena."

"How? She's in a coma, remember?"

"Yeah, but maybe that's what Serenity meant when she said that the pharaoh would save her. Maybe it's _us_ who needs to get Serena out of her coma. Maybe that's how she needs to be saved!"

Joey stood there still slightly confused.

Finally, everything came crashing together, it suddenly all made sense, "Joey, perhaps Serenity wasn't talking about Atem, maybe she was talking about-"

Joey gasped and spoke before Yugi could finish, "You!"

Yugi slowly nodded, "I think my dream might've been something from the past, Serenity was talking to Atem and trying to describe _me_ because I'm his reincarnation!"

"Yug, that's crazy!"

"Nothing's ever been normal for us."

Joey shrugged, "Ya got that right!"

Yugi began puzzling through his theory, "So, I'm supposed to save Serena according to my dream."

Joey sighed heavily, "And I say it again, _how_?"

Yugi shook his head, "I don't know…. But, that doesn't explain the second portion of my dream."

"The choking part?"

Yugi simply nodded.

"Like I said, it's only a dream. It doesn't mean that it has to come true, and same goes for the Serena thing too."

"I know, Joey," Yugi said, "I just have a bad feeling about it."

Joey frowned, "Well, that doesn't mean you're gonna get choked to death, Yug."

Yugi nodded sluggishly, "Yeah, I guess you're right, I just wish I knew what it all meant."

"And I wish I could get some more sleep," Joey yawned, "I have a class at noon!"

Yugi gave his friend a quizzical look, "Noon? Really? Joey, I have an eight o'clock! You can't tell me that you're going to sleep until just before noon?"

Joey winked, giving Yugi one of his famous mischievous smirks, "Oh, I intend to! I need my beauty sleep, and so do you. Go to bed before I force ya!" He climbed into his bed and brought the covers to his waist, watching Yugi do the same. "Good night, pal."

"Good night, Joey," Yugi replied.

"And Yug," Yugi looked over to the other side of the room, staring at his best friend, "don't let those nightmares get to you. I know you're stronger than that." Through the darkness Yugi could see Joey genuinely smiling at him.

"Thank you, my friend…." With that, the two teens drifted off into dreamland.

* * *

><p>Ahmose entered the small coffee shop that Vincent had mentioned was near the hospital. He wiped the door open abruptly, causing heads to turn as he walked in. Glancing around the room he saw Vincent sitting at a table seated for two in the back corner. Vincent was sipping on a cup of coffee when Ahmose sat down in the chair across from him.<p>

Right away Vincent noticed the anger in Ahmose's eyes. His light brown eyes flashed with rage and a hint of sadness, and Vincent was sure it was about Serena. Now was his chance to find out, "Serena?"

Ahmose simply nodded.

"What happened now?"

Ahmose took a few short breaths before explaining himself; "After I got of the phone with you I called her ex-boyfriend, Darien."

"And?" Vincent asked, setting down his mug.

"He did it."

Vincent narrowed his eyes, "Who did what?"

"Darien," Ahmose said, fury building in his voice, "He caused Serena to crash!"

A small smirk found its way onto Vincent's face. He brought his mug up to his lips to hide the satisfaction that sneaked through because of Ahmose's rage. "How did he do that?"

Ahmose swallowed hard, frustration mixed with disgust was engraved onto his facial features, "He broke up with her over the phone while she was driving. That _bastard_! He should never have dated Serena knowing he was only going to break her heart. He knew it should've been _me_! I should've dated her! I would've taken much better care of her!"

The smile grew as Vincent gulped down another drink of his hot coffee. He tried to keep himself from letting his satisfaction show, but it was just too difficult, he'd been waiting for so long, and now Ahmose had finally let his anger out. The anger that Ahmose had was at its peak. Now was the time to let him unleash it and set the plan into motion.

Vincent abruptly stood up, "I don't think we should talk about this here. Come on, let's go somewhere else."

Ahmose stood up and followed Vincent out of the coffee shop. Ahmose had no clue where they were going but he didn't care. All he wanted was to make Darien suffer just like Serena suffered. That bastard didn't even care about Serena! He had no remorse! If Darien had any decency he would've visited her at the hospital. Ahmose could feel his chest clench in pain and in anger. His emotions were starting to become overbearing.

In what seemed like a short amount of time, Vincent had brought them to a dark warehouse in the run-down area of Domino. Ahmose was confused as to why Vincent had picked such an odd place but he didn't question it, he trusted Vincent, they were friends.

The warehouse doors creaked and screeched, metal rubbing together as Vincent pushed them open. Ahmose peered inside; it was empty and rather dark. Why would Vincent choose such a creepy place? He didn't question Vincent, however, keeping the thought to himself as they walked inside.

Vincent placed a hand on Ahmose's shoulders, "I can tell you want revenge."

Ahmose didn't answer. Of course he wanted revenge, but that wasn't something he was going to admit out loud.

Vincent grinned, "Well, I see you need a bit more convincing."

Ahmose was unsure by what Vincent meant. He kept quiet, waiting for Vincent to continue.

"Look, I can help you solve your dilemma."

Ahmose raised an eyebrow, "How?"

"You want to save Serena, right?"

He nodded, waiting for Vincent to get to the point.

Vincent gave him a devilish grin, "And you want revenge on Darien for hurting Serena, am I correct?"

"Yes…. What are you getting at?"

That demented smirk appeared on Vincent's face again before he spoke, "There's only one way that will benefit you in the long run."

Ahmose spoke cautiously, "And what's that?"

Vincent's face went cold; his eyes seemed practically invisible in the blackness of the warehouse. Ahmose felt as if Vincent was staring into his soul. He'd never seen him look like this before. It was frightening. Absolutely frightening.

The demonic smirk reappeared and Vincent spoke in a way that made him seem inhuman, "Murder."

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><p><strong>AN: Okay! I hope you all enjoyed that. Sorry, no Serena/Seto in this chapter, but I promise you there will be! Anyways, please review!**


	14. Holding A Mystery

**A/N: Hey guys! I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I try my best, haha! So, just a forewarning, the first portion of this chapter is rather long. It was difficult for me to explain all of the information in smaller sections, so I ended up just writing it all out as a longer section. I PRAY it doesn't confuse anyone. My goal was for the majority of the confusion that there might be to finally be explained. There are multiple flashbacks from earlier parts of this story that try piecing everything together for poor Ahmose. You kind of get an insight on who Vincent really is too, which was pretty exciting to write about. Seriously though, if you are confused PLEASE ask! *Crosses fingers* I just HOPE that this makes some sense. Also, I apologize for Seto being somewhat OOC. I want to justify it by saying he is feeling EXTREMELY guilty, and guilt can make people do some crazy things, haha. Anyway, please enjoy! **

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 14- Holding A Mystery<p>

Ahmose's mouth dropped. He couldn't speak. Terror was the only thing he felt, making his blood run dry. Murder. Murder. _Murder_…. The word repeated itself over and over in Ahmose's head, like a chilling broken record.

"You're insane!" he shouted, "I would never kill anybody!"

Vincent raised an eyebrow, "Really?" His tone of voice was belittling, "Never?"

Ahmose took a few steps back, not sure of what his _friend _was getting at.

"If only you knew your past…"

Ahmose's blonde eyebrows scrunched together, "What do you mean?"

Vincent stepped towards him placing his palm on Ahmose's forehead before the blonde teen could protest, "Let me show you."

A flash of white light engulfed Ahmose's vision. Everything swirled together like mixing storm clouds, making him feel queasy. Suddenly, his jumbled vision started to come together, forming images. The pictures were blurry, but Ahmose could've sworn he saw himself in those depictions. Taking a close look, he saw the outline of a blurred Vincent. Both males appeared exactly the same age as they were now. The only difference was the clothing. Vincent was wearing all black and seemed to have a cloak of some sort on, while Ahmose was in a suit of armor.

The vision was completely strange, and as the pictures began to arrange themselves more clearly Ahmose saw something even stranger. The dark sky that surrounded them was dotted with stars and…. _Earth_! The Earth was floating in the sky, glowing brilliantly. The blue oceans were relatively visible, along with the brown and green landmasses, and the gray clouds that hovered above the lively planet. Looking away from the night sky Ahmose saw that the ground they were standing on was covered in grayish dust. The dusty ground seemed to go on for miles across the abnormal horizon.

'_What the hell?'_ Ahmose thought as he noticed he was floating over the image of himself and Vincent. _'I've got to be hallucinating! This is nuts!'_

"The Moon Kingdom has no king," The vision of Vincent said.

The vision of Ahmose looked angry, "What do you want!?"

"You're different, aren't you?" Vincent grinned knowingly, "You're not from the moon at all…. You're an Earthling."

Ahmose furrowed his brows in confusion as he took in the conversation, _'The moon? Earthling? What the heck are they talking about? Of course I'm an Earthling!'_

"What is it that you want!?" Ahmose's armored double shouted.

"I've come here to look for an heir," Vincent stated.

"An heir? To what thrown?"

Vincent's creepy smile appeared on his face, "Only the greatest thrown known to man!" There was a gleam in his shadowy eyes as he spoke again, "The entire galaxy!"

Ahmose frowned, anger clear in his eyes, "The galaxy? Are you serious? You plan on taking over the galaxy?"

"Taking over? No, no, I don't plan on taking over anything…. I own the galaxy!"

'_What!?'_ Ahmose thought, _'This is one messed up dream… How can someone own the galaxy!?'_

"Now, tell me Ahmose, don't you think that you deserve to be king of the Moon Kingdom?"

There was a long moment of silence, as if Ahmose's double knew that Vincent was right.

"Prince Endymion was never meant to be king," Vincent said, "If he were, he would have claimed his place as king and stayed with the princess, am I correct?"

Ahmose simply nodded.

Vincent cocked his head to the side and smirked, "Am I correct in saying that the first Earthling to set foot on the Moon is to be crowned king?"

Another long pause unfolded, but eventually Ahmose spoke, "I am the first Earthling to set foot on the Moon, but my destiny is to serve the kingdom as the Highest Noble Knight."

'_Highest Noble Knight?'_ Ahmose thought to himself as extreme confusion set in, _'The Moon Kingdom? Prince Endymion? What is all this, and what does it mean?'_

"But you want _more_! You deserve more!"

"I don't need to be king, the princess has made her choice!" Ahmose spoke with fiery anger.

'_Princess….'_ Ahmose thought about the way his double said the word. Thoughts of Serena flashed into his mind. _The princess has made her choice!_ What his double said repeated throughout his head.

'_Made her choice…. Prince Endymion…. He was never meant to be king…. The prince left the princess…. But you want more…. Deserve more….'_ The conversation radiated like a pulsing heartbeat in Ahmose's head and it suddenly all struck him. The princess that they were talking about was Serena, and Prince Endymion must've been Darien. Darien left Serena and Ahmose was truly the one who deserved her. _'Could this vision be something from the past?' _It seemed that way, and seemed as though history was repeating itself.

At that moment the scene changed, and Ahmose was now hovering over a vision of his double standing over a headless woman's dead body. Blood was dripping from his sword onto his armored feet.

"Vincent! VINCENT!" His double shouted into thin air.

Out of nowhere Vincent appeared, a thick black fog surrounding him.

"YOU'VE TURNED ME INTO A MURDERER!" Ahmose's double screamed, his angered voice sent shivers up Ahmose's spine as he hovered over them.

Vincent grinned, "You want to be king, but what truly honorable king kills innocent?" Vincent paused and his grin doubled in size, "Honorable rulers do the right thing. Only an honorable king would take his own life as an equal offering after murdering an innocent, am I correct?"

Both Ahmoses dropped their jaws. Silence filled the scene as they both waited for Vincent to continue.

"I take your look of shock and silence as a yes," Vincent took Ahmose's sword and moved it to a proper angle, "To live," Vincent grinned, "you must die…."

Ahmose continued to clutch the weapon, he allowed Vincent to move the blade wherever.

"Once you complete this next phase, your reign will begin. You will return and claim your throne," and with that Vincent adjusted the sword so that the tip was pointed at Ahmose's chest.

"NO! DON'T!" Ahmose shouted, but the two men could not hear him and they continued on with their task.

Ahmose and Vincent shoved the sword deep into Ahmose's heart. His body fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Ahmose floated above them in utter disbelief. Why would his double murder someone then take his own life? This was just wicked!

Vincent extracted the sword from Ahmose's dead body. Examining it carefully.

Ahmose caught a glance of what the weapon looked like. The sword contained a silver blade with a crescent moon symbol engraved in the handle. It was quite a remarkable weapon.

The world around him began to collapse and Ahmose's visions disappeared as he felt himself leaving his hallucination. Moments later he woke up on the cold warehouse floor, feeling dizzy and weak. Placing a hand on his forehead he tried to calm his headache that developed there.

"What just happened?" Ahmose asked as he rose from the ground.

Vincent stood over him with watchful eyes, his arms crossed over his chest. "You've just witnessed a portion of your past."

Ahmose rubbed his head, "My past?"

"Correct." Vincent smiled wickedly, "Remember when you said you'd never murder anyone?"

Ahmose turned to the defensive, "If that was my past then how come I don't remember any of it?"

Vincent's smirk never faded, "Because if you knew the events of your past things wouldn't fall into place like they're supposed to."

"And by that you mean?"

"Prince Endymion leaving Princess Serena. Darien leaving Serena," Vincent stated, "History repeats itself."

Ahmose just stood there, waiting for Vincent to continue.

"To fulfill your destiny you must now carry out the tasks that you didn't complete in the past."

"You're crazy!" Ahmose shouted, "I'm not doing anything! Besides, I have no idea what happened in those visions!"

Vincent sighed, knowing he'd have to explain, "Thousands of years ago there was a kingdom located on the moon. Queen Serenity ruled. Her daughter, Princess Serena, was to be the next queen and Prince Endymion from Earth was to rule as the Moon Kingdoms new king. Prince Endymion left and the kingdom began to crumble to an invader."

Ahmose laughed cockily, "Let me guess, you were the invader?"

Vincent's grin grew and he continued explaining, "It was said that the first Earthling to set foot on the moon would be crowned king. That was you, however, the princess chose Endymion and you were pushed to the side, serving the nobility has the Highest Noble Knight. I sought you out and informed you of your destiny as king. The Moon Kingdom was falling under the invasion so I told you what you needed to do to fulfill your destiny. You murdered a woman as a sacrificial offering so that you would be reincarnated. That's why you killed yourself in the last vision."

Ahmose spoke with hesitation, "This is absurd. There's no way I'm reincarnated."

Vincent raised an eyebrow, "Fine, don't believe me, however, you'll never save Serena."

"Save Serena?"

"From her coma."

"You know how to get her out of her coma?" Ahmose replied with urgency. If Vincent knew a way to wake Serena up, Ahmose would do _anything_.

Vincent grinned again, "Of course I do! The answer lies in your past."

"What part of it?" Ahmose asked. He was a bit fearful as to where this was going, however, he wanted to save Serena more than anything and make Darien pay for what he did.

"Remember in the vision where I told you that I needed an heir and that you were the one destined to be the Moon King?"

Ahmose nodded.

"Good," Vincent smirked wickedly, "now take back your thrown!"

Ahmose furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "What?"

"Take your thrown from Darien. Killing him will make you the new king."

"I won't kill anyone! You're psychotic!"

Vincent glared at the frustrated blonde, "It will wake Serena up."

Ahmose was frozen and confused. How would killing someone wake a person up from a coma? That was impossible. "How?" This was all Ahmose could say.

"Because only the true Moon King can activate the powers of the Silver Crystal that Serena carries."

"S-Silver Crystal?" Ahmose stuttered. He was shocked. Of course he'd known about Serena once being Sailor Moon. She'd told him in a heart-to-heart they had a while back, and Ahmose had kept it secret ever since. How would Vincent have known about the Silver Crystal that gave Serena her Sailor powers? Was Vincent truly who he said he was, ruler of the universe?

"I know everything, Ahmose," Vincent spoke in a monotonous voice that was eerie enough to send chills down anyone's spine, "trust me when I tell you that the task you need to complete is before you."

"So, by killing Darien I will be the new king of a kingdom that doesn't even exist anymore? Why would I do something like that?"

"I've chosen you as my heir." Vincent said flatly and nonchalantly, "I rule the galaxy, I can make you a king. You'll have power unimaginable!"

Ahmose remembered the Vincent from his vision saying how he was searching for an heir to the thrown of the galaxy, but what exactly did that mean? How does Vincent remember everything if the vision that he saw was a vision from his reincarnated past? That would mean that Vincent never….

Ahmose's heart began to race as he took a small step backward, "H-how old are you?"

Vincent smiled sinfully, "I'm glad you asked. I'm over 7,000 years old."

Ahmose's mouth dropped as he gasped. Something deep down inside of him knew that Vincent was telling the truth, even though Ahmose knew it was impossible for someone to live that long. "How? How are you _that_ old?"

"I wield immense power. That is why I rule, and that is why I am still alive. I was chosen by this," Vincent dug into his pocket and pulled out a small black crystal, "to keep order in universe." The crystal shimmered slightly as Vincent moved it around between his forefinger and thumb, "Every civilization throughout history has crumbled or ceased to exist because of me, except for one kingdom…."

Ahmose stood in awe of what Vincent was saying. He could've sworn he was going insane, or dreaming, however, everything felt too real and unnervingly familiar.

Vincent gazed into the crystal. He recalled how it had fallen from the sky and entranced him with its incredible power over 7,000 years ago. He was nothing but a poor merchant back then, desperate for survival, until the crystal showed up and changed everything. It had granted him power and immortality. All he'd ever wanted to know was revealed to him, astonishing knowledge at his fingertips. He'd discovered how influential the crystal was when he'd destroyed a nearby village out of anger. From then on he knew he was destined to decide who lived and who died. Vincent had controlled it all, from the fall of the Roman Empire, to the death of Alexander The Great. Vincent had chosen every outcome with the power of the mysterious black crystal.

It wasn't until the Moon Kingdom's Silver Crystal that Vincent felt a challenge arise. Queen Serenity had somehow managed to preserve the Silver Crystal's power and reincarnate her daughter and the Guardians of the planets. Pharaoh Atem's spirit had somehow made his way into modern times, even after Vincent had murdered his physical being. But now he was gone, and so were the Millennium Items. The only thing that remained were the reincarnations of Pharaoh Atem's royal court, but Vincent knew that they couldn't pose a threat without the Millennium Items at their side. The only one who truly posed a threat was Serena and her Silver Crystal. Vincent would be sure to get his hands on it, and using Ahmose to do his dirty work was just what he needed.

Once Ahmose killed Darien, everything would fall into place. Ahmose would have access to the Silver Crystal and Vincent would then take it from him. Then nothing would stand in his way any longer. He would truly rule the galaxy, and he would do it with an iron fist!

The last thing he needed to do was convince Ahmose to carry out his deed of killing Darien. This would not be difficult. Ahmose already had an appetite for revenge. The phase was almost complete.

"I've worked too hard for you to mess up destiny!" Vincent shouted. "Everything has fallen in line," Vincent placed the black crystal in his pocket and lifted his hand in the air. Sparks of white and yellow light danced magically above Vincent's hand, as a long object appeared to form out of thin air. The glimmers of light took form and a sword was placed perfectly within Vincent's palm.

Ahmose noticed that it was the sliver sword from his vision, the sword with the crescent moon engraved on it. His past reincarnate had used it.

Vincent gripped the sword tightly as he thrust it towards Ahmose, "Now it is up to you, complete the line of your destiny."

Ahmose absentmindedly grabbed the weapon, holding it loosely in both hands, admiring its amazing beauty. The weapon was crafted well, it looked extremely fragile yet powerful. _'This was the sword that my past self had possessed…. He committed suicide with it….'_ Ahmose thought, _'is it really my destiny to do this? Am I to use this sword and become king?' _ Ahmose could feel a strong connection to the silver weapon. It felt as though thoughts and glimpses of his past memories were calling out to him through the sword. The feeling was unbelievable; Ahmose hadn't felt anything like it before.

"Where did you get this?" He asked.

"I've been holding onto it for over 2,000 years. Since the day your past self died."

Ahmose swallowed hard. He was so nervous, confused, afraid, he didn't know what he should do. Should he kill Darien and save Serena? Or should he walk away and possibly give up the chance at saving his best friend? He cared for Serena so much that it hurt, and the thought of throwing away an opportunity to rescue her was something that he didn't want to live with. He also didn't want to live with blood on his hands, but if that's what it took….

With shaky hands, Ahmose clutched the sword, bringing to his side. He spoke in a nervous, but determined voice, "Where is he?"

Vincent cracked a devious smiled….

* * *

><p>Was it the fifth or sixth time that he'd visited her in secrecy? He couldn't remember. All he knew was that he had to see her and that's all that mattered.<p>

It had been almost five days since their accident, and Kaiba had hated himself more in these past five days than any other time in his life. He felt so guilty. He was awake and healing, while she was comatose and…_stable_… Kaiba's heart was so heavy, he felt like someone had replaced it with a rock. He felt hollow, depressed, and shameful. The thought of her lying there instead of him made him want to scream.

'_It should be me, Serena….'_ He thought, _'You don't deserve this.'_ Even though Kaiba didn't know Serena personally, he had a feeling that she was an innocent and fun-loving person, someone who didn't deserve tragedy. He imagined her smiling beautifully, and her hair flying every which way. He could picture her so well, it was unreal, and he didn't even _know_ her! He just knew her name! Maybe that's all he needed, just a name and a face. A name and a face that continued to break his heart everyday. Breaking his heart into tattered fragments, knowing that it was partially his fault that she was in a coma.

Guilt was such a foreign feeling to Kaiba. He was used to breaking people. That was his job. He fired people at Kaiba Corp. on a daily basis, so why was this guilt any different? It was a puzzle Kaiba couldn't figure out. Serena had somehow imprinted on him, wrapping him around her finger.

He lightly picked up her hand and placed it in his, stroking the back of it with his other hand. Her skin was silky soft and fair. She was so delicate; everything about her was tender and precious to him. Kaiba admired her face, taking in her features. The curvature of her face was unique and elegant. She reminded him of a lovable bunny. Her hair was golden blonde and Kaiba could tell that she was a natural blonde, not some faked-out bimbo. Serena was as natural as she looked, and that's what made her enchanting. The one feature that caught Kaiba's eye the first time he'd seen her was her eyes. Her deep blue eyes, just a shade lighter than his. Kaiba could tell that their depths held much love and hidden wisdom. Kaiba didn't know how, but he could've sworn he could see into her soul when he peered into them. He wished he could stare into them again.

Moving over her he examined her face closer this time, wishing she'd open her eyes. When nothing happened, Kaiba slowly wrapped his arms around her in a meek embrace. He didn't hold her tight due to his pain and her IV's and breathing tube, but he'd wanted to hold her tighter. He wanted to hold her and never let her go. It was the strangest feeling. Kaiba had _never_ shown anyone this much affection and interest before, but somehow a comatose girl could control him. It was senseless and Kaiba could not place it.

A small rubbing motion on Kaiba's back made him hum a little. The hand that was on him felt comforting and relaxing. He didn't move. He enjoyed the minor gesture while holding his little mystery. Serena really was a mystery and Kaiba couldn't wait to solve her. Hopefully, fate would give him the chance to by allowing Serena to wake up.

The rubbing continued and Kaiba didn't move, not caring who was doing it, he just appreciated the act. The strokes felt so caring and loving and-

'_Wait, I'm the only other person in this room, right?'_ Kaiba spun his head around to look over his shoulder. No one was behind him. The room was empty. _'If no one else is in here then….'_

…. Holy shit….. Holy shit… _HOLY SHIT_!

Kaiba broke the embrace and stood over her. He felt the hand that was rubbing his back fall. In that moment, Kaiba's world came to a screeching halt.

"Serena?"

* * *

><p>There was a brash knock on Darien's front door. He sighed in irritation as he heard it. The last thing he wanted was to be disturbed, especially after the horrible phone call he had had with Ahmose. Ahmose was being absolutely dreadful with him and Darien didn't feel like dealing with that. He didn't feel like dealing with people in general. He had his own demons to deal with and other people were just a bother at this point.<p>

Groggily, Darien walked over to the front door and opened it, speaking before he even saw who was on the other side, "What do you wan-"

"To come in."

Abruptly, Darien was pushed inside. He fell to the floor with force. The front door was quickly slammed shut behind the intruder. Rolling over quickly, Darien saw who had barged in.

"Ahmose," he spat, "what the hell do you want? What are you doing here?"

"I don't have time for small talk." His voice was colder than Darien had remembered. His eyes were filled with anger and determination. Darien had a feeling that this would not be good. He tried rising to his feet but was pushed down once again.

"Get out now," Darien shouted, "before I call the police!"

"You won't have time to." Ahmose mysteriously pulled out the long sliver sword from behind his back. In a flash he was standing over Darien. The tip of his blade pointed to Darien's bare flesh on his neck.

"S-stop," Darien stuttered, fear welling up inside of him, "y-you don't know what your d-doing!"

"Yes I do," Ahmose said coldly, all emotion drained from his voice and face. He pushed the sword into Darien's neck, drawing a small amount of blood. Darien shrieked from the pain.

"I'm fulfilling my destiny," and with one rapid stroke, Ahmose's destiny had been fulfilled….

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So? How did you like it? I apologize for the first part being so extremely long. There was no other way to explain all of that information. ****I also wanna apologize for the swearing, I thought it was a good way to describe shock, LOL! ****Anyway, if you have any questions about the story that you'd like answered, please drop it in a review or PM me. I promise I'll try explaining it to you.**

**Please let me know how you liked it! Reviews are AWESOME! They help me become a better writer. **

**Special thanks to everyone who has reviewed and has been reading my story thus far, it's such a blessing to have all of you on this journey with me. I cannot believe chapter 15 is next! Yippee! See you guys next time! :)**


	15. Emotions

**A/N: Hi…. I am so sorry I made all of you wait so long. *****beats face against concrete wall*******

**I DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 15- Emotions<p>

_'Hi, you've reached Serena's cell phone. I'm unable to answer the phone right now, but please leave a message and I will get back to you. Thanks!' _

BEEP.

"Serena, it's Rei. We need to talk. Please call me back. This is urgent. Bye." Rei Hino hung up and thrust her cell phone deep into her coat pocket. She had called Serena over twenty times in the past hour alone. Every call went straight to voicemail and Rei was beginning to worry. She hadn't seen or talked to Serena in a few weeks, so Rei had no clue how else to get ahold of her friend besides by phone. Granted, Rei knew Serena was going to Domino University, however, she wasn't about to waltz around the foreign campus searching for her.

The chilling, morning autumn air swept over Rei as her long, elegant black hair gracefully flew around her. Concern draped her face as she stood outside the yellow police tape. Police, news media, and people were all gathered around a small townhouse. Crime scene investigators were snapping photos, reporters were speaking into the news cameras, and police were running around searching for clues to mysterious murder that had taken place earlier the previous night.

Rei's eyes sunk to the ground as she took a deep breath. She didn't know how this could've happened….

Darien was murdered. He was gone. Dead.

Rei had been standing outside the crime scene since five this morning. She was unable to sleep last night after she saw Ahmose and another man at a coffee shop the previous day. She witnessed them talking intently, recalling how tense Ahmose seemed, and how the other man was calm and collected. Rei didn't hear anything the two were saying, and before she got a chance to say hi to Serena's childhood friend, they left.

It had been a little over a year since Rei had last seen and conversed with Ahmose. She wasn't about to barge in on his private conversation, yet the way he looked when he was leaving the coffee shop made Rei curious. She'd never seen Ahmose so…. _Confused_. It was as if he was seeking something but didn't know where to start looking. Nevertheless, Rei ignored the situation until that night when she tried to fall asleep. The look on Ahmose's face was just too intense to forget. It kept her tossing and turning all night, wondering what was going on with him.

After failing at falling asleep, Rei turned on the television to the local news, and there it was. The early (as in 4am early) morning news headlines said it all. The images of the home that flashed on the screen had paralyzed Rei. She'd been to that house dozens of times. She'd been to Darien's house dozens of times.

Now, here she stood, trying to wrap her head around it all. Who could've done something like this? She didn't want to believe that Ahmose's sighting earlier that day had anything to do with this, but Rei's gut churned as her instinct set in. Something was telling her that the two were connected somehow. With all her might she tried to not believe it, but her intuition crept in like a looming shadow.

The crisp air swept over her again and she let a long awaited tear descend down her cheek. The pain was devastating. Darien was dead. He'd been murdered.

With shaky hands, Rei re-dialed Serena's phone number and again, there was no answer.

"Where are you, Serena?" she said to the cold autumn wind….

* * *

><p>The lights were beautiful, dancing like floating glitter above her head, and shimmering with different fractures of colors. It was as if she was looking into a foggy kaleidoscope, one that had been used and loved by a child, peering through the eyepiece to see the lights dance as they were supposed to.<p>

She had never seen lights dance like this before. They focused and unfocused, forming shadows as the dance continued. Cloudy shapes were beginning to arise, sending the light fractures in all different angles, creating a silhouette. The silhouette was cast over her, and even though it was dark, she wasn't afraid. There was something comforting about the experience that made her smile.

The small curvature of her lips was all it took for the sensation of touch to set in. There were parts of her body that tingled and felt numb, and then there were other parts that felt blissfully painful. Every sensation, every breath, every dancing light felt generous to her, like she was not supposed to be feeling, seeing, or breathing. She felt as though she was taking the moment for granted, which she was.

After hearing a panicky voice call out her name, she knew. She knew that she was defiantly taking this for granted. After a few unfocused moments, and a shrill of her name, she _knew_. This was her second shot, her second chance at life, and now she knew never to take it for granted.

Reaching out, she felt the silhouette, its shadow quickly developing details. She rubbed her hand along the silhouette and it called out her name. After blinking and squinting for what seemed like eternity, she could finally begin see. The silhouette quickly materialized into the form of a man. Hair, the color of rich chocolate, that fluffed and fell over his captivating blue eyes made her want to run her fingers through it, whisking away the pieces that hung down. Skin, covered in bruises and pale, was wrapped in sporadic bandages, making her nervous and confused, wondering how they got there. Lastly, his eyes, which she had noticed before, were intense. The deepest depths of the ocean could not compare to how deep and wonderful this man's blue eyes were. There was just something in his eyes.

And that's when she truly understood.

"Seto…." Her voice was scratchy and soft, "Is that you?"

"Serena," a cool hand touched her cheek, "Yes, it's me."

"You saved my life."

Shock crossed Seto's features and a hint of a smile danced along the corners of his mouth, "You remember?"

"Yes."

Seto moved away from her, turning his back towards her as he paced to the other side of the room. Serena could hear him take a few deep breaths, like he was trying to recollect himself. After a minute, Seto turned around to face her. The look in his eye was something Serena had never seen before. Seto looked grateful and concerned at the same time.

"What's wrong?" She asked bluntly, making Seto look at her oddly.

He swallowed hard, "Nothing, it's just…. You're awake."

Serena tilted her head to the side, "How long have I been out?"

"A few days."

"They have medicine that puts you out for that long?"

He simple stared at her, Serena felt like he was staring into her soul. All she did was ask a question….

Seto shook his head, "No, you were in a coma."

Serena's face fell. A _coma_? "No way!"

He nodded, "I'm surprised you're awake. I-"

Seto paused, cutting himself off. It looked as though he was trying to figure out how to say what he was going to say next. "I-I'm just thankful you're alive and here." He began to walk away, towards the door when Serena stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

"To get the nurse and let her know you've woken up."

"I'm sorry…" She hung her head low, a tear falling ever so slowly down her face.

Seto stood there, waiting for her to continue, curious as to why she would be apologizing to him when this whole mess was his fault.

"I brought you into all this. I shouldn't have been driving. I looked away from the road and-"

Seto's eyes widened as what Serena said sunk in. How did she remember so much? Seto could barely recall what happened, but Serena was in a coma and could still remember! Was he losing his mind already?

Silence flooded the room. It was like a cold drink of water. Serena thought about how terrible the situation was, how she dragged another person down with her, someone who she didn't even know. Seto chewed over Serena's words, thinking about how she blamed herself when this whole time Seto believed it was his fault. Regardless of whose fault it was, they were both alive and the fact that Seto didn't have a death hanging over his head made him grateful. Talking to Serena, seeing her move…. Just for those things alone, Seto was grateful.

It was so bizarre to him. The way he felt about her, how protective he was of her and they didn't even know each other. The only communication they had ever shared was immediately after the accident, when the two of them eventually passed out. Seto had tried wrapping up her wounds, but eventually he lost too much blood to stay awake too. There was just something about her, something familiar, and he wondered if she felt it too.

Wiping her tears away, Serena looked up at him, blue oceans colliding, their eyes locking perfectly. "I'm sorry…. You didn't deserve this. I'm so stupid…." She took a deep breath, "I don't expect you to ever forgive me, but I pray that one day you do. I don't think I could live knowing that the person who saved my life hates me…."

Seto's cold eyes bore into hers; Serena felt every shiver from every shade of dark blue. His face was as sturdy as stone, the seriousness of it all made Serena feel uncomfortable. "I thought this whole thing was my fault." His voice never faltered, but it was chilling nonetheless. "Let's call it even." With that, he left, leaving Serena relieved and baffled.

A minute later a nurse swept into the room. She moved quickly, grabbing medical supplies and other assortments. She asked Serena a few questions to make sure she wasn't suffering from amnesia, and then taking Serena's vitals, the nurse asked the only important question.

"Serena, are you hungry?"

Exhaling loudly, Serena replied, "I thought you'd never ask!"

The nurse smiled, "I'll be right back with some food then," and left the room.

* * *

><p>Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino had rushed over to the hospital as soon as the doctor called to let them know that their daughter had woken up and that she was surprisingly doing well. When they took a look at Serena they couldn't help but cry and hug her like there was no tomorrow.<p>

Serena was appreciative of her wonderful parents. They cared about her so deeply. Part of her was upset at herself that she had let them down by totaling her brand new car and putting them through this emotional roller coaster. Her parents had assured her that they were just happy she was alive, but Serena didn't want to believe that. She felt so responsible for everything.

"How is that ice cream, darling?" Her mother asked.

"Amazing!" Serena said through a giant mouthful, "Who knew hospital food could taste so good?"

"All food tastes good to you," Her father teased.

Not afraid to admit it, Serena smiled broadly and nodded, taking another large spoonful of ice cream.

"Just consider yourself lucky," her mother said, "most people complain about hospital food."

"Do you see me complaining?" Serena smirked.

Her mother and father exchanged concerned glances and Serena caught sight of it.

"What?" She said, "Did I do something wrong?"

Mrs. Tsukino sighed, "No, honey. Your father and I…." She stole a glance from her husband, "We have some bad news."

Concern and worry raced through her as Serena tried to figure out what the bad news would be. Was another person involved in the accident? Could someone have died…. because of _her_?

"Serena," her father spoke with clarity and sadness, "Darien is dead."

Her ears felt like they were ringing. Was she hearing her father correctly? Darien's dead? No…. that couldn't be right. She had _just_ talked to him! Darien couldn't…. He couldn't be _dead_?

As reality sunk in hard and Serena felt her world crumble again, this time knowing that she wasn't going to get it back. She would never be able to get Darien back.

"H-how?" Serena sobbed. The tears were falling like rain but she didn't seem to even notice.

Her parents exchanged another worried glance, but this time they looked nauseated, like they'd both been punched in the gut.

Mrs. Tsukino moved closer to her daughter, wrapping her arm around her, gently rubbing her back as she sobbed. "Sweetheart," she began, her voice was filled with deep sorrow, " this may be really…. _difficult _for you to take in, but Darien was murdered."

"Murdered!?" Serena screamed, "By _who_!?"

Her mother shushed her, "Please keep your voice down, we don't want to disrupt any of the other patients."

"Mom!" Serena yelled, "Darien's dead!" Waves of tears and emotion poured out of her as her mother held her tightly, trying as best as she could to comfort her daughter.

"They are still investigating the situation," Mr. Tsukino piped in, "Hopefully the police can find out more by tomorrow."

"When did this all happen?" Serena asked.

"Last night…." Her father replied, "We saw it on the news this morning."

"We were surprised the police didn't call to inform us. We only assume that Darien would have you as some sort of emergency contact if somethi-"

"Mom!" Serena shouted. Anger, pain, and heartbreak overwhelmed her senses. She realized that her parents didn't know what had happened between her and Darien and that she needed to tell them before everything got out of hand, not that it wasn't out of hand already…. "Darien and I broke up."

"What?" Shock swamped her mother's facial features.

"That's why I'm lying here in this bed right now…."

"What are you talking about, Serena?" Her father's voice was stern.

Serena sighed, "We broke up over the phone while I was driving," she hung her head in shame, "I am so sorry…."

Stillness swept over the room as Serena's parents tried to think of something to say to comfort their daughter. The accident made more sense now.

Her mother spoke with softness, "Serena, its okay. You're alive, that's all that matters." She hugged her daughter.

"We love you, Serena," Her father moved in to embrace her, "we're sorry that all of this had to happen to you."

Through sniffles, Serena replied, "Thank you, I'm sorry too. I love you both."

* * *

><p>"She's awake!?"<p>

"Yes," Seto Kaiba calmly replied to his younger brother, Mokuba, who had just arrived at the hospital to visit. "She isn't suffering from any amnesia either."

"Wow! That's awesome!" Mokuba looked exuberant.

"Her doctor said she's recovering quite well, quicker than he had expected."

"Maybe it's from all of your little visits," Mokuba winked playfully.

The elder Kaiba blushed, he quickly responded, flustered, "How did you know I had visited her?"

"Because I'm smart," Mokuba laughed, "and because the nurse told me she caught you in there a few times."

Kaiba still felt a little flustered. Did Mokuba know the things he'd said to Serena in private while she was in her coma? Did he know that he cared for her more than he should? "I see," he began, "well, to be honest I felt guilty. I thought it was my fault she was in a coma."

Mokuba frowned, "It's no ones fault, Seto. It was an accident."

"Serena told me it was her fault."

Astonishment struck the young Kaiba's facial features. "How does she know it's her fault?"

"She told me she remembered looking away from the road. She feels just as guilty as I do." Kaiba was quiet for a moment, "The thing is I don't remember much about the accident at all. Even after being in a coma Serena seems to remember more than I do."

"You're going to believe her?"

"What other choice do I have? Besides, I was part of the accident. I should take part of the blame."

Mokuba shook his firmly, "Seto, it was an accident! How many times do I have to tell you that no ones at fault?"

Kaiba ignored his brother's words, "I told her to call it even…. She didn't deserve to be in a coma."

Mokuba placed his hands on his hips; he'd had enough of his brother's moping. "No, she didn't deserve that, but that doesn't mean you have to continue sulking about it. No offense, Seto, but that accident must've hit you a little too hard in the head. I'm surprised you're still hung up on Serena. It's over and done with. She's out of her coma and healing, and you should be focusing on getting better, not feeling guilty."

Seto looked away from his brother, crossing his arms sternly over his chest. He knew Mokuba was right; he was way too hung up on this. The worst part was that he didn't know why either. He was simply drawn to Serena like a moth to a flame. It was a weird feeling.

"I'm sorry," Mokuba said, "but you're the type to leave drama in the past and not concentrate on it. This just isn't like you."

Seto sighed, "You're right, Mokuba, I need to let this go. I need to stop visiting her."

"Wait a second!" Mokuba smiled deviously at his brother, the gears in his head turning, "I never said you had to leave Serena alone. I just wanted you to stop feeling guilty about it. There's nothing to feel guilty about."

Seto turned to face his brother, "So you're saying it's acceptable to be in contact with her?"

Mokuba shrugged and smiled, "Sure, if she's okay with it."

The elder Kaiba nodded and the room fell silent.

The devious smirk returned and Mokuba began probing questions onto his brother, "Why do you want to be in contact with Serena so bad? You don't typically talk to people outside of KaibaCorp., especially not _females_."

Kaiba turned away from Mokuba once again, embarrassed.

The way Seto reacted made Mokuba realize the truth, "Wait, wait, _wait_! You…. like her?"

At this, Kaiba abruptly turned around and jumped to the defensive, "No! Absolutely not! I don't even know her…. It's just…."

Mokuba smirked, "It's just what, Seto?"

Kaiba sighed, "I can't explain it. I'm just drawn to her, in a protective way. I don't know why?"

Mokuba giggled and teased, "That's because you _like_ her."

The elder Kaiba blushed once again and angrily snapped at the younger Kaiba brother, "I don't like _anyone_!"

Mokuba threw both of his hands up in the air, "Okay, sure, sure, Seto. I believe you."

Sarcasm leaked out of every word, and Kaiba could easily sense it. Attempting to avoid the subject, he grabbed his laptop off of the bedside table and opened it. After almost typing a full reply to an email, his laptop was abruptly shut on him and whisked off of his lap.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Don't you dare ignore me!" Mokuba scolded.

"Excuse me?" Kaiba spat.

"You heard me! Don't ignore me. We aren't done talking about you're love life."

Kaiba was irritated now, "There is no love life, Mokuba! Now please! Let me be!"

"You're in denial, that's all."

"Whatever you say…."

Mokuba grinned, "Oh, it's true. You're crushing on Serena and you don't know how to handle you're emotions so you're denying it. It's no big deal."

"Yeah…. Sure…." Sarcasm escaped out of Kaiba's voice. He crossed his arms in extreme irritation.

"So you admit it then?"

"Admit what?"

"That you like Serena."

"No."

"But you just said yes."

Frustrated, Kaiba raised his voice slightly, "I didn't admit to anything."

"After I said you were denying it, you said yes."

"Go away Mokuba, I'm warning you."

A devilish smile crossed Mokuba's lips like a signal of mischief, "Yeah, and what're you going to do to me? I already know you like Serena. I can just tell."

"Then why the hell are you still bothering me about it?"

"Because I can."

Kaiba reached across his bedside table and picked up a white remote control that had a large red button on it.

"What are you doing?"

"About to hit the call button."

Concern draped along Mokuba's lips, "Why? Do you need something?"

"Yeah, I need the nurse to call security to get you the hell out of here."

Mokuba frowned, "Seto, you'd really throw out you're little brother?"

Kaiba's finger danced atop the bright red button, a mischievous smirk crossed his face, "You can't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry about the extreme delay, and I'm so sorry that this chapter is so short! I promise there will be more soon and a longer chapter next time. Thanks for reading thus far, and please review! :)**


	16. Distraction

**A/N: OH MY GOSH! AN UPDATE! YESSSSSSS!**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 16- Distraction<p>

"Serena!" Ahmose burst into his friend's hospital room, slamming the heavy door against the wall as he entered. Rushing to her bedside, he quickly lifted her into a tight squeeze, not wanting to let her go for dear life. The relief and joy of having Serena back made the smile on his face look brilliant.

"I can't believe you're _here_!" Serena's voice was full of delight at finally seeing her long-time friend once again.

Ahmose's smile broadened, "I can't believe you're _awake_!"

They hugged once again, holding each other closer, tighter, both afraid to let go.

"How did you hear I was in an accident?"

"Your mother, and…." he paused, looking away for a split second, "your voicemail…."

Serena's eyes darted towards the floor, "Oh…. so you knew?" She was soft-spoken and an eerie grimness laced her lips.

"Knew about you and Darien breaking up? Yes."

Neither spoke. Tears were accumulating in Serena's eyes, threatening to fall. She felt so vulnerable, so _emotional_. Even though everything that happened gave her a pretty good reason to be upset, it still felt odd, being susceptible in front of one of your best friends, it just wasn't a natural feeling.

Finally, Serena spoke, her voice scratchy and anxious, "D-did you hear what happened to him?" The tears were so close to falling now.

Ahmose swallowed hard. His eyes seemed to darken. "Yes."

"Someone _murdered_ him, Ahmose!" They fell, one by one until it was like a raging sea. "How could someone _do_ that!? How could someone be so _cruel_?" Serena's emotions had finally gotten the better of her. She sobbed, curling up in Ahmose's arms, letting him hold her until she felt like speaking again.

"I'm sorry."

"Nonsense!" Ahmose reprimanded, "You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about."

The sniffles began to increase as Serena scooted closer into him. Ahmose grabbed a few tissues from her bedside table and gently handed them to her.

"I'm here for you, Serena," He smiled sympathetically at her, "that's what friends are for."

She blew her nose quietly, and then gave him a sincere smile back, "Thank you."

Running his fingers through her long blonde hair he replied, "Of course."

Once again, the two embraced, containing each other's warmth for as long as possible. In Serena's mind, she felt comforted knowing that Ahmose had always been there for her, and that he always will be….

"Now it's my turn to apologize." Gloominess tingled on each syllable like a shadow with a piercing needle, trying to jab at each and every thought. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to witness you wake up. I promise you I visited everyday! I-it's just t-that I was…." There was hesitation in his voice, "I slept in really late yesterday morning. I was a bit hung over, you know, big party with the Frat guys…. I'm sorry I wasn't the first to see you wake. I wish I was…." Ahmose's lips told one story, while his eyes told a completely different one. Serena, on the other hand, was too ignorant to see it.

She gave him a kindhearted grin, "It's okay, Ahmose. I wish you would've been here too, but I wasn't alone when I woke up."

The expression on Ahmose's face suddenly changed, and all of the uneasiness that was there before swiftly turned into envy. "What?"

"The man from my car accident was here when I woke up," Serena's statement was so nonchalant it drove Ahmose nuts with fury.

"_What_?"

"Yeah, Seto's his name," Serena's tone still held onto it casualness despite Ahmose's changing and challenging manners. "He was the first person that I saw when I woke up."

Confusion, shock, anger, and disappointment all seemed to come crashing down on Ahmose all at once. He promptly turned on his heel and bolted out of the room. He ran down the hallways of the hospital and never looked back, despite Serena screaming his name….

* * *

><p>His heart raced, pounding hard against his chest. This was his moment, and this time he'd finish it all…. for good.<p>

"What do you think you're doing?"

The all too familiar snake-like voice made him stop in his tracks. He turned toward the direction of the sound. There he was, hiding behind the door of a hospital room. The room was dark and empty, reflecting _his_ soul.

Ahmose peered around the hallway, making sure nobody was paying attention to him as he swifty stepping into the empty room.

"What do you want?" Ahmose hissed. "You shouldn't be here."

"I can be wherever I please," Vincent's eyes were daringly sharp, and he paused for a long moment to ponder his words. With the voice of a conniving serpent, Vincent began to speak, twisting and turning Ahmose's thoughts. "You weren't about to kill Seto Kaiba were you?"

Ahmose frowned, his face full of anger.

Vincent grinned, "I see…. Well, before you begin to make irrational decisions, be thankful that you have me…. You know, so that your face doesn't end up in tomorrows newspaper."

"I would've handled it well!" Ahmose raised his voice in defense.

"Oh, I'm sure you would have, however, steps need to be put in place first." Vincent smiled, "Just wait here with me."

"What if someone sees us?"

An angry look crossed Vincent's face, "Trust me, they won't live long enough to tell anyone we're here."

Ahmose swallowed hard, "So…. What're we waiting for?"

Vincent swung his hand up in the air to silence his apprentice, "You'll see soon enough. I want to make sure that my theory is correct."

* * *

><p>It was seven-thirty when the nurses finally decided to leave Seto alone for the evening. It seemed like all day he was busy undergoing tests and physical therapy, and he was absolutely exhausted. He never expected that the doctor would order him to do so much so soon after the accident. Seto felt like he was being forced into recovering and not actually recovering on his own.<p>

One of his biggest pet peeves was being told to do something. Seto was the boss! If anyone crossed his path they would sure never live it down. However, in this situation, Mokuba took control. Seto's little brother took it upon himself to be the one to make the majority of the decisions with the doctors, and even though Seto was in-charge of his own body, it was difficult for the doctor to argue with the vice-president of the most powerful company in the world. It was even more difficult for Seto to argue with Mokuba, so in the end, Mokuba got his way and Seto was now on-track to a quick recovery. Mokuba wanted what was best for his brother, Seto knew that, however, after hearing him complain about being bed-ridden for so long, it was only expected for his brother to take immediate action.

Seto readjusted his pillow, whining and grimacing from the aches and pains he felt. He laid back and looked up at the blank ceiling. It was seven-thirty. The nurses were done feeding him. His doctor was done for the day. Mokuba was back at home. No one would be disturbing him. That was a good thing; nevertheless, Seto was extremely restless. He'd been trying to relax for over a half hour and nothing came of it but more restlessness.

Shooting up out of bed and trying not to focus on the horrid pain that shot through his sore body, Seto quickly got dressed in some lounge clothes that Mokuba had left for him and paced himself down the long white hospital hallway towards _her_ room. He wasn't about to relax without talking to her. It had been too long. He just _needed_ to see her. There was no better cure for his restlessness than Serena Tsukino.

Before entering her room, Seto looked around to make sure no one else was watching him. He quickly let himself in before anyone could notice. The first thing he observed was that Serena wasn't in bed, however, her bathroom door was shut. A voice spoke from inside the bathroom.

"Mom?" Her voice was livelier than the previous times he'd spoken to her. "Mom, is that you? I thought you went home for the night?"

Seto stood there for a brief moment; he didn't know what to say. Quietness passed quickly throughout the room.

"Hello?" Serena questioned from the other side of the door.

Seto was about to explain himself when the bathroom door shot open and steam engulfed him.

"Seto!" Serena shouted, "What on earth are you doing here!?"

When the steam seemed to clear Seto was stunned at the sight before him. Serena was standing in front of him, dripping wet, and loosely wrapped in a white bath towel.

Seto opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out but a few disoriented sounds.

"_Seto_!" Serena shrieked.

Finally, he came back to earth and was able to form somewhat of a sentence. "Well…. This is awkward…."

Serena raised her eyebrows in shock, "Um, yeah it is! What the hell are you doing here?"

"I wanted to visit you."

"Because I was in the shower?"

Seto was taken aback, "No, not because you were in the shower!"

Serena 's face began to soften up, "Oh…. I'm sorry…. I didn't mean to accuse you of anything…. I was just…."

He stopped her, "It's alright."

Serena gave him a small smile, "Do you mind if I change?" She pointed to her clothes on her bed.

He shrugged and began walking out of the room.

"Wait, don't go," her voice contained the smallest trace of panic and Seto was able to distinguish it right away, "please, it'll just be a minute."

"I'll just wait outside the room."

"Oh no, seriously, _stay_. I don't really mind you being in here. I have no modesty," she let out a small laugh then looked up at him, smirking, "and besides, you wouldn't want the nurses to catch you." She gave him a friendly wink and then turned around and dropped her towel.

Before Seto witnessed anything he spun around and faced the wall, patiently waiting for her to finish changing. Staring at the blank wall gave him time to think about what the heck just happened! He could feel the blood rushing up to his cheeks. He touched his face and the warmth made him realize that he was…. _blushing_!

Seto Kaiba never blushed…. _Ever_! This threw him for a loop and he had to refocus his thoughts on something else.

And that's when he remembered.

Serena's leg was wrapped in large white gauze, the same leg that Seto had tried to wrap during the accident. When Serena walked, Seto had noticed her limping. He also noticed the cuts and bruises on all her exposed skin.

Oddly, he felt concerned and wanted nothing more than to comfort her. These bizarre feelings toward Serena seemed so unnatural yet Seto didn't want to fight it.

"All dressed!" Serena said. Her voice was cheery and she smiled vibrantly up at the still blushing CEO.

Seto turned around and joined her by sitting next to her on the bed. An uncomfortable moment crept up between them.

Serena scratched her head awkwardly, "So…. What're you doing here?"

At first, Seto didn't know what to say, _he_ didn't even know why he was here, he just _had _to see her for some reason. Before things got too awkward again, he made up a half-truth, "I wanted to surveillance your healing progress. Make sure everything was going smoothly."

Serena gave him a funny look, "Okay. Well, the doctor said my wounds are healing nicely and that I'll be better before I know it."

"That's good," Seto stated firmly. His expressionlessness made Serena wonder what he was truly thinking. She wasn't used to someone being so…. _Punctual_.

"Yes, it is, but," she paused and looked up at the ceiling, small tears began to form on the edge of her blue eyes, "emotionally I guess I'm not doing so hot."

Seto didn't say anything, he just stared at her, expecting her to elaborate.

Luckily, she did. "I was told that my boyfriend's been murdered."

The usually frozen and cold, blue eyes of the Kaiba Corp. CEO were suddenly shattered with shock, "What?"

The tears were threatening to fall, but Serena wiped them away just in time. She needed to be strong now, "Yeah, the police are still investigating."

"Do they have any leads?"

Serena shook her head, "None that I know of…."

Seto took in a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Serena."

She smiled timidly, "Thank you, Seto."

"What?" He said.

"What's, what?" Serena replied, thoroughly confused.

"I'm not used to people calling me Seto."

"I called you Seto earlier, when you walked in on me."

Seto gave her an accusing look, "I guess I didn't notice. There seemed to be other distractions."

Serena saw the faint hint of a smile dance along his lips and she knew he was attempting to flirt with her. She'd play along. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't think I was _that_ distracting."

She just set him up and he knew it. What was he supposed to say, _'Yes, the sight of you in a bath towel is _**very**_ distracting.'_ He wanted to tell her that he was attracted to her, he just didn't know how. What he couldn't get over was how in the world she was able to flip the conversation like that so quickly. It amazed him, and Seto Kaiba was a hard man to amaze. Somehow Serena amazed him over and over again and she didn't even have to _try_.

Of course, being Seto Kaiba, he wouldn't let Serena have the upper hand. He grunted and said, "You wish you were distracting."

Shock crossed her face and then slight anger etched its way into her sweet voice, "Excuse me?"

He grinned proudly, "You heard me."

She frowned and crossed her arms, sticking her nose up in the air, "Fine. I don't need _you_ to tell _me _that I'm not distraction material. I already _know_ that I am, so suck it!"

Seto began to laugh. It wasn't a cocky laugh. It wasn't a sinister laugh either. It was a pure, happy laugh.

Serena looked over at him in confusion, wondering what was wrong with him.

After the laughter died down, he glanced at a confused Serena and began to explain, "Sorry, it's just that I can't remember the last time I saw an adult act like such a true child. It took me by surprise."

"Thank…. You?"

"Hmmm," Seto grinned, "and by the way, most people call me Kaiba."

"I'm not calling you Kaiba." Serena stated sternly.

Seto frowned, "And why the hell not?"

"Because I like Seto better, besides," she gave him a sassy smirk, "I can do whatever I want."

A small giggle came out of Seto, "Not when you act like a child."

She frowned angrily at him again.

"_Besides_," He emphasized the word she always used to try and justify something, "what if I like being called Kaiba?"

"Too bad!"

He ruffled his eyebrows, "What?"

"I said too bad. I like calling you Seto, and if you can't handle it than you can just-" she abruptly cut herself off.  
>Seto peered down at her, puzzled, "Than I can just what, Serena?"<p>

She shook her head, "Nothing."

"No," he scowled, "tell me."

Serena took a large breath and said, "Well, I was going to say leave, but," the tears quickly reappeared again and Serena struggled to wipe them away, "I don't want another person that's come into my life to leave me."

Without much warning her tears began to fall, like a sudden rain shower. They fell rapidly, and Seto couldn't do anything but watch and feel the hurt. He knew what it was like to lose loved ones. Unexpectedly, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. He embraced in her pain, soaking it up like it was his own. All he wanted was for Serena to be happy, and if being here for her could erase the sorrow, then he'd do it.

For the first time in a long time Seto felt the pang of empathy grab ahold of his heart. It was the strangest feeling, and the greatest. He never wanted to let go, and after this moment, he knew he never would. Serena would now forever be apart of him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ending this chapter shorter than I wanted to, but honestly I think this is a good place to stop. I hope you all enjoyed it. Can't wait for all of you to read the exciting things to come! Please review! Thank you! **


	17. Captive

**A/N: This is where things really begin to unravel. My hope is to finish this story soon (I really don't know how soon though) so I can begin to post my new crossover story that I've been working on. **

**I DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 17- Captive<p>

Seto Kaiba walked by briskly, clearly trying not to be noticed by the evening nurses. Ahmose noticed him though as he watched through the darkness of the empty hospital room, with Vincent peering eerily behind him. Ahmose seethed in envy at the sight of the young CEO. It made Ahmose fume when he saw Kaiba walk into Serena's room. Thinking of the fact that Kaiba was the one who witnessed her wake. Ahmose could feel his heart beating faster, thinking of all of the rage and resentment he held toward Kaiba. Serena was supposed to be his, not Kaiba's. She was supposed to wake up to _him_, not Kaiba!

"Ahmose," Vincent placed his hand on his apprentice's shoulder, "my theory was correct, and we've been mistaken."

Ahmose turned around, confusion carved upon his face, "Mistaken? What do you mean?"

Vincent's dark eyes began to glow with burning passion as his snake-like smirk seemed to grow, "Darien must not have been the king at the time of the Moon Kingdom's demise. Princess Serena must've picked someone else to be her king, thus the reason why she didn't wake up to you. After killing Darien, Serena should've woken up to you, but instead…." He trailed off, seeing the uncontrollable wrath building up in Ahmose.

Ahmose was raging, "What!? So you mean to tell me that I killed Darien for _nothing_! All because _you_ made a _mistake_!"

"Keep your voice down, Ahmose!" Vincent looked pissed, "What you're forgetting is that by killing Darien you've eliminated the possibilities. Now there is only one kill left before you can obtain the silver crystal from Serena and rule!"

"And by one kill left you mean…."

Vincent nodded; his devilish sneer was nothing short of demonic as he replied, "Seto Kaiba."

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>SERENA TSUKINO<strong>_!"

At that moment the entire hospital could've shut down, maybe even the entire city of Domino. The shout/scream/yell/holler/roar of Rei Hino was so loud that it could've killed, or at the least made a person go deaf.

Serena and Seto froze, still holding each other from the previous moment. Neither knew how to react to _that._ All they could tell was that Rei was beyond pissed.

The door to Serena's hospital room was slammed shut by Rei as she stomped over to Serena. She stood in front of her, hands on her hips and glared at Serena, just inches from Serena's terrified face.

After a good few minutes of no one speaking and Serena receiving a death glare, Serena decided she'd try and speak. Stuttering harshly, she was able to manage some sort of a sentence, "H-h-hi Rei, h-how are y-y-you?"

Rei smoldered, if steam could come out of her ears, it'd be flying out like a bat out of hell, "HOW AM I!? _**HOW AM I**_!? SERENA TSUKINO I HAVE SPENT THE LAST FORTY-EIGHT HOURS SCARED OUT OF MY MIND! I HAVEN'T SLEPT! I'VE BEEN SO WORRIED! I CALLED YOU OVER FIFTY TIMES AND I DIDN'T GET A SINGLE CALL BACK! _**WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU**_!?"

Serena was horrified. Sure, she'd seen Rei pissed off before; sometimes Serena would get the brunt of it, but not like this. She didn't even know what to say, "I-I'm s-sorry."

"SORRY? _**SORRY**_! THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY!?"

Serena swallowed loudly, "I don't even know what to say."

Suddenly, Rei wrapped her arms around Serena's neck, surprising the heck out of both Serena and Seto. Tears began to fall down her face as she hugged her old friend tightly. "I was so worried about you, Serena! I thought you were dead!"

Serena hugged Rei back. She missed her, "I'm fine, Rei."

Rei pulled away abruptly, "No, you don't understand. I seriously thought you'd been killed."

Serena lowered her eyebrows in perplexity, "Explain."

"Darien! Because of Darien! I thought the person that had killed Darien had somehow gotten to you too. You didn't answer any of my phone calls. I didn't even know you were in a car accident until I went to your parents house and they explained to me everything that happened." Rei's eyes went to the floor, tears still falling, "You have no idea how grateful I am that you're alive."

Serena slightly smiled, "Well, I'm glad to see you, Rei."

"Yeah, me too!" The black haired teen let out a small laugh, "So, how's recovery?"

"Good! The doctors said I'm recovering well."

Rei smiled thankfully, "That's good to hear. An accident with a CEO billionaire, huh? That would be your luck, Serena."

Puzzlement traced its way across the blonde's face, "An accident with a CEO billionaire? What're you talking about?"

Seto cleared his throat roughly. Serena looked over to him in confusion.

"You don't know?" Rei asked, "Gosh, Serena, you're even more of an airhead than I remember!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Rei?" Serena pointed to Seto, "I got into an accident with Seto, not some billion-" she tersely cut herself off and stared straight ahead for almost a minute before speaking again, "Seto…. Kaiba…. Kaiba…. Kaiba Corp! Oh. My. Gosh."

Seto just looked at her, slightly smirking.

Serena eyed him up for a good minute and said, "YOU'RE SETO KAIBA!" Both Rei and Seto sighed deeply.

"Wow, I'm glad you were finally able to figure that out," Seto's voice was lined with mockery.

"You've gotten smarter since college, Serena, congratulations," Rei said sarcastically.

"Shut up! I've been through too much to keep track of everything," Serena stated defensively, "so get off my case, Rei!"

"No, I'm sincerely concerned about you."

"Well, I didn't ask for your sincerity."

Rei fumed, "Oh yeah? Well, fine," she crossed her arms, "maybe next time something bad happens to you I won't be as worried."

"Humph!" Serena crossed her arms as well, "I don't care."

Rei frowned at her friend and stuck her tongue out at her, just to receive the same treatment from Serena.

The silliness of the two teens stopped once Seto Kaiba spoke, his sternness creating a totally different atmosphere within the room. "Rei, what do you know about Darien's death?"

Serena was surprised that Seto was interested. Sure, it was a murder, most people would be interested, however, this was Seto Kaiba. Seto Kaiba supposedly never cared about anyone; he was supposedly a rude person and a cruel boss. Why would he care about her dead boyfriend? After giving the situation a second thought, Serena realized that Seto had been different than what the rest of the world portrayed him as. He was caring towards Serena. Yeah, he had an attitude sometimes, and Serena had a difficult time trying to read his mind sometimes, but he was different than the typical public opinion of him. It was strange. The fact that he cared was strange, and Serena couldn't put her finger on it.

Rei replied quickly, her seriousness matching his, "I don't know much. I probably know the same amount of information as you two do. But…." She took a heavy breath, "I have certain suspicion."

"What's your suspicion?" Seto asked.

Rei looked at Serena, deep concern and sadness was apparent in her dark eyes. "I don't know…." She turned to look at Seto, "I don't want to make any assumptions."

All three were silent for a while. Seto was waiting for Rei to speak up while Serena's insides were turning. She was scared of what Rei might say.

Rei, now looking at Serena, spoke up. Her voice was shaky and weary, "The night before the murder I was in a coffee shop downtown. I saw Ahmose there. He was talking with this man I'd never seen before. I was going to go up and talk to him but before I could get a chance, he left."

Serena didn't want to speak, knowing where her question would be going. She asked anyway, wanting to know the truth, even if Rei just had suspicions. "So what does this have to do with Ahmose?"

Rei swallowed hard, "He looked different, Serena. He looked…. confused and determined somehow. The man he was with though…. He seemed calm and eerie…. I don't know! It's hard to describe."

"And how does this tie into Darien's murder?" Seto asked.

Rei gulped, "I told you it was just an assumption, but I think that Ahmose is-"

"DON'T EVEN SAY IT! DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!" Serena snapped, "HE'S NOT RESPONSIBLE!"

"I never said he was! All I said was that I had a suspicion!" Rei defended herself.

"He would never!" Serena shouted, anger and pain fuming from within, "Ahmose would never kill anyone, especially not Darien! Ahmose is my best friend! He would _never_ do that to me!"

"Serena, calm down!" Seto vented, "Rei's not claiming that your friend killed anyone." He turned quickly to Rei, "Tell me what the other man that was with Ahmose looked like."

"Uhhhh, he had extremely dark eyes and black hair, pale skin."

"Vincent."

"What?" The two girls questioned in unison.

"The man that Ahmose was with. His name is Vincent."

"How do you know that?" Rei asked.

"Because I met both of them in my economics class."

"At Domino University?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah."

"A billionaire going to college? That's a little unusual," Rei pointed out.

"I didn't know you were going to DU! I'm going there too!" Serena exclaimed.

"Probably not anymore…." Seto said coldly.

"What do you mean?" Serena questioned.

"After this car accident, there's no way we'll be going back anytime soon."

Serena's eyes fell. She'd worked so hard to get into college. Now all of it had been washed down the drain over this stupid mistake. If only she'd been paying attention to her driving and not Darien….

"Wait a second," Rei spoke up, "So, Kaiba, you know Vincent and Ahmose?"

Seto shook his head, "No, I don't _know_ them, I just met them." He sighed, "To be honest, I think your assumption is wrong Rei. Ahmose seemed like an idiot. I don't think he's capable of murder."

Serena looked pissed. "Excuse me? That's my best friend you're talking about!"

Seto gave her a look, "I'm only speaking the truth."

"What about that Vincent guy you mentioned?" Rei asked.

Seto rolled his eyes, "He was an ass."

Serena furrowed her brows at him and placed her hands on her hips, "Talk about calling the kettle black."

Seto just glared at her, but Serena relentlessly glared back. Seto knew she was pissed off because he'd just offended her by calling her best friend an idiot.

Rei looked slightly uncomfortable as she spoke, "But do you think either could've come up with a plan to kill Darien? I mean, both of them looked extremely suspicious and after I saw them I just couldn't sleep that night. Something just felt wrong."

Seto snorted, "I wouldn't even bet my pocket change on one of them murdering Darien, there's just no way."

Serena took a deep breath and then looked at Rei, "See? I told you Ahmose couldn't have done it!"

"You asked for what my suspicion was! I told you I didn't want to just assume! Quit losing your cool!" Rei roared.

Serena furrowed her eyebrows, "I'm not losing my cool! That's usually _you_!"

Rei frowned, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" Serena shouted.

"Stop it you fools!" Seto said. He clearly looked irritated.

"Sorry," she said as her mood changed, "What made you come to Domino anyway, Rei?"

Rei bit her lip and cautiously looked at Seto. Her eyes wandered to the floor as she hesitated to say anything.

"Rei?"

Rei rubbed the back of her neck nervously; "I don't think you want me to say this in front of anyone."

Serena gazed at Seto while he looked back at her, their blue eyes meeting once again. There was something familiar and true about the way he looked at her and Serena decided that she could trust him. She nodded at Rei and said, "It's okay, say what you need to say."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Serena gave one last glance toward Seto. He wasn't smiling or anything, but his eyes seemed to be smiling at her, and _only_ her. She nodded once again, "I'm sure."

Rei paused and inhaled deeply. "Okay…. I came to Domino to look for you. I had a dark premonition."

"About me?" Serena asked.

Rei nodded, "About Sailor Moon."

* * *

><p>A Few Days Later….<p>

"She said you were…." Serena choked up. She shook her head angrily.

"What did she say, Serena?" Ahmose knelt down next to her bed, looking her in the eye deeply.

"She said she had a suspicion that you were Darien's murderer," Serena huffed, "Can you believe that!?"

Ahmose laughed, "No!" He patted Serena's head and smiled.

"Why would she say that? I mean she does get premonitions but I don't think they're all correct, and plus this wasn't a premonition, and besides she's-"

Ahmose cut her off, "Listen Serena, Rei is wrong," he let out an authentic laugh, "You really think I would _kill_ someone? Come on, that's ridiculous."

She dropped her head, "Urgh, you're right. Rei just gets me all riled up! She shouldn't have mentioned Darien, it just frustrates me."

Ahmose grabbed her head, kissing her forehead gently and reassuring her, "I'm here for you, Serena. Now are you ready to get out of this place?"

Serena sighed heavily with relief, "Yes!" She picked up a few of her travel bags, "I've been here for two weeks. That's just absurd!"

"Two weeks, huh? That's a long ass time." The two chuckled. Ahmose grabbed the remainder of her bags and they made they're way towards the hospitals patient checkout station. Ahmose waited patiently while Serena filled out the release papers. Once she was done and they were out the front door Serena smiled up at Ahmose broadly, making him return a greater smile.

"Finally!" She squealed, "Fresh air!"

"How does it feel?" He asked.

She beamed, her blue eyes shining brightly, "Amazing!" She pointed to the busy road next to the parking lot, "Now I demand you to take me home," she teased.

Ahmose smiled, except this smile was just a bit crooked than all the rest, "As you wish my princess."

* * *

><p>Yugi Muto, Mai Valentine, and Joey Wheeler hopped out of Mai's car, planting their feet onto the hospitals large parking lot pavement. Mokuba asked them, via Kaiba's doctor, to pick up and drive Kaiba home since he was not allowed to drive yet and Mokuba couldn't drive.<p>

The three of them crossed the busy parking lot peacefully, until Yugi stopped in his tracks.

"Yug? Is something the matter?" Joey asked.

The spiky-haired teen didn't reply. His purple eyes were wide and full of fear and shock. His mouth was slightly open. It looked as if he'd just seen a ghost.

Noticing the astonishment in Yugi's eyes, Joey ran to his friend quickly, "Yugi, what's wrong?"

Yugi didn't respond. He slowly turned to his left, looking towards the other end of the large parking lot. A few aisles away, Yugi saw what made him stop.

A man. Jet-black hair. Demonically dark eyes. Pale skin. He had his arms crossed and was smirking, leaning up against a car and looking Yugi directly in the eyes, captivating him in fear with every passing second.

Joey spun his head around in the direction Yugi was staring in.

"Joey…." Yugi's voice was extremely quite and filled with terror, "That's the man from my dream, the one that strangled me. That's him."

"Are you sure?" Joey responded quietly.

Yugi nodded, "Yes."

Mai ran up next to them, "Look you guys, there's Serena." Serena was walking with a blonde haired man. They were carrying her travel bags and making their way to the car that the creepy man was by. They both didn't seem to notice him.

"Who is that she's leaving with?" Joey questioned.

Nobody replied. Everyone stared as they saw the man with the black hair slither into the backseat of the car that Serena just crawled into.

Seconds later the car was gone, with Serena trapped inside.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Damn! That was a difficult chapter to write. I hope all of you are enjoying this so far. Get ready for more excitement! Please review! Thanks for reading.**


	18. From The Future

**A/N: I plan on ending this sometime soon but we shall see! Here's chapter eighteen! Enjoy.**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 18- From The Future<p>

There was an extremely loud knock on Seto Kaiba's hospital room door. This made him grumpier than he already was. The fact that the dweeb patrol was coming to pick him up just disgusted him. He ordered Mokuba to have his driver pick him up in his limousine, but Mokuba refused and said that he already asked Yugi and his friends to. Mokuba explained that he'd missed his friends and wanted to see them. Seto just couldn't say no to Mokuba.

The knocking increased, and the desperation of it threw Seto off guard.

"Kaiba open up this damn door!"

_'Oh, great, Yugi brought the mutt,'_ Seto thought as he unlocked the door and opened it for them.

"Kaiba! Serena's in danger!" Yugi shouted at him.

Seto frowned, "What?"

"Grab your stuff, we'll explain on the way," Mai said as she pointed to Kaiba's bags laying on the floor, "and _hurry_!"

After all of the paperwork was quickly signed the four of them left the hospital and raced down the downtown roads.

"So what the hell's going on?" Kaiba demanded.

"Serena was taken by these two evil men. We saw them drive away with her, now we have to find her." Joey explained.

"Wait a second, Joey," Yugi said, "We don't know for sure if the blonde guy is evil. We just know that the other man is _dangerous_."

"And by blonde guy you mean her idiotic friend, Ahmose?" Kaiba inferred.

Mai jumped into the conversation, "Kaiba, you know him?"

"No. I just know he's Serena's friend."

"Okay so _he's_ not the bad guy," Joey said, "but the other guy _is_ and those two don't know that that black haired freak got into the car with them!"

Kaiba sighed, "And by black haired freak you mean, Vincent?"

"You know him too?" Mai asked.

"Yeah, he's an ass."

"Calling the kettle black there aren't ya, Kaiba?" Joey said.

Kaiba gave him a glare, "Shut up, mutt."

"Wait a second," Yugi interrupted before Joey could yell back at Kaiba, "so these people are okay? I mean, Serena's not in any danger?"

Kaiba shook his head.

"But Yug, I thought you said the guy with the black hair was the guy from your dream." Joey stated.

"Yeah…. I thought he was too. Maybe I was wrong, but I was sure that he was-"

Kaiba cut them off, "Are you kidding me?"

All three of them were silent for a moment. Kaiba was clearly angry and it showed in his burning blue eyes.

"You mean to tell me that you three losers dragged me out of that hospital as fast as you could because you thought Serena was in some kind of danger because of a stupid dream?"

Yugi nodded, "We thought you cared about her?"

"No," Kaiba said.

"That's not what Mokuba told us," Mai said.

"Well, Mokuba's wrong. Besides, if you saw Serena in danger wouldn't you just get back into your car and chase after her, or maybe call the police?"

None of them spoke, knowing he was right.

"Gosh, you people are dumber than a box of rocks."

"Hey! At least we care about Serena, unlike you, Kaiba! All you do is walk around with a stick up your ass and act like you know it all! Sorry some of us are actually human and _care_!" Joey was fuming. He knew Kaiba cared for Serena, Mokuba had said so. Kaiba was just trying to act like a hard-ass.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, "Whatever, Wheeler."

"Something just doesn't feel right though…." Yugi said.

Mai spoke, "That man _did_ look rather suspicious, and I don't think either Ahmose or Serena knew he crawled into the backseat."

Kaiba sighed loudly, "This is the second time I heard about all of this bullshit."

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.

"I talked to one of Serena's friends who said the same thing about Vincent. She also said that Ahmose seemed different, and she _knew_ him." Kaiba affirmed.

"So we aren't the only ones then?" Joey questioned.

"Apparently not…." Kaiba mumbled, he was quite annoyed by all of this.

Yugi scratched his head, thinking intensely, "I feel like we should go check on her."

"How? Her cell phone was destroyed in the car accident." Kaiba declared.

"She's being brought to her parents house, right?" Mai inquired, "We'll just drop by."

Kaiba cocked his head to the side, "How do you guys know all of this?"

"Mokuba." All three said in unison.

"Great," Kaiba moaned sarcastically, "could you just drop me off first. I want to go home."

"Fine." Mai said, glaring at him through the rearview mirror.

* * *

><p>"Hello?" A small girls voice called out into the darkness. "Is anyone here? Hello?"<p>

Hands fumbled around the walls, searching for a light switch or a way out. A doorknob was felt and soon light flooded into the room.

"Hello?" She called out into the dimly lit hallway. The hallway was long and wide, bigger than anything she'd ever seen before. Everything was beautifully decorated and there was a lovely, familiar scent about the place.

There were doors everywhere and she opened up all of them with no success. Each room was pitch dark and cold. She refused to go in, deciding she'd find another way out.

"Hello? Daddy?" She said as she turned a corner. The hallway opened up into a large foyer area. She ran quickly to the railing at the edge of the room and saw that this foyer was overlooking another huge foyer.

A giant crystal chandler hung down from the ceiling. The floor was made out of white marble or granite and seemed to shine like diamonds. The drapes were all dark blue, accenting the furniture that was placed around. The place was so huge that an entire party could be held just on the lower foyer floor!

The girl ran down the stairs and opened up the two hefty mahogany double doors. She gripped the gold handles tight and peered outside.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?" She shouted to the outside. Shutting the doors quickly she made her way around the house, exploring different rooms. There was a library, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, a courtyard, and an incredibly large kitchen and living room. This place seemed to have it all. It was defiantly made for a princess.

"Daddy?" She questioned to the air, "daddy are you here?"

Her cries were heard. A door that seemed to lead to a rather enormous garage was opened and her daddy was standing there, staring at her with a shocked expression.

"Daddy!" She screamed as she ran into him and hugged his tall legs.

* * *

><p>"<strong>MOKUBA<strong>!" It was the cry that was heard around the world. Seto Kaiba had screamed it at the top of his lungs. Seconds later, a panicky, panting Mokuba Kaiba appeared near the door to the garage where his older brother had called him.

Seto was standing there, motionless, with a young, pigtailed, pink-haired girl holding onto his legs. Yugi, Joey, and Mai were standing behind them, covering their ears, frozen by Kaiba's death call.

"S-Seto! What's going on-"

"I was _JUST_ about to ask you the same thing!" Seto said through clenched, distressed teeth. The look on his older brother's face was a pure mix of shock and rage.

"I have no idea!" Mokuba cried, "Who is _that_!?"

"_I have no idea_!" Seto hollered, "Just get her off!"

"Wait! No! Daddy, I need to talk-" The little girl begged, but she was cut off by a bellowing CEO who hastily shoved her off of him.

"_DADDY_!? I am _NOT_ your father!"

Tears began to flourish in the girl's reddish-pinkish eyes, "B-but you _are_ my daddy, and I need to talk to you!"

"Seto…. What have you been doing that I don't know?" Mokuba questioned.

"Nothing! That's the problem!" Seto said defensively.

"Then why is this girl calling you her daddy?" Joey interrogated in a condescending voice.

Seto snapped at him, "Shut it, Wheeler!"

"Daddy! Please! I need to talk to you!"

"I told you I'm not your-"

Mokuba stopped him, "Seto! She looks _just_ like Serena!"

Everyone in the room stiffened, studying the lost little girl. Astonishment submerged the room as a shockwave of realization stung all of them.

The little girl broke the silence, "Serena's my mother's name."

Seto knelt down next to her and held her face gently with one hand. It took him a while to notice it, but she did resemble him very slightly. "What is your name?"

She smiled, "Rini. Princess Rini Kaiba."

"Princess?" Confusion covered the room like a thick blanket of snow.

Rini nodded, "Yes, Moon princess."

"Moon princess?" Another blast of confusion hit everyone in the room. No one knew what to say. Was this girl mad?

After studying the girl, Kaiba spoke up, his voice stern and solid, "Does your mother have blonde hair, blue eyes, and a hair-do just like yours?"

She nodded, affirming his enquiries. "I need to talk to you." Her voice sounded desperate.

Kaiba just stared at her, studying her, taking in her appearance. Could this girl really be his daughter? He'd seen some pretty weird things whenever Yugi was around, but nothing as weird and confusing as this. A random girl shows up in his house and claims that he is her father. The oddest part was that Serena is apparently Rini's mom. Seto only met Serena less than two weeks ago, and now they have a living, breathing child!

Rini firmly grasped Seto's hand and snapped him out of his musings, "Please, daddy! You and mom are in trouble! The future has changed and I've been sent here to tell you that you need to fix it before it's too late!"

"The future has changed?" Kaiba wrinkled his brows, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm from the future, daddy!" Rini clarified, "I've been sent back to the past by the powers of the moon crystal to tell you that you and mom are in trouble!"

"Trouble?" Yugi quickly turned to Joey, "Do you think the trouble she means is that guy that we saw? The one from my dream?"

Joey looked over to Rini, "Do you know what this trouble is, or who is causing it?"

She shook her head, "No, all I know is that the future is being threatened by an evil power. I've come to warn mommy and daddy. They need to stop this force before it's too late for all of us."

Kaiba grimaced intensely, "This is nonsense!" He turned around to yell at Yugi, "I thought all of this past and future garbage was over with once your stupid little friend was sent back to Egypt! So why am I standing here now listening to all of this same crap!?"

"Kaiba, please!" Yugi pleaded, "Listen to Rini, I honestly think she's telling the truth!"

"Of course _you_ think she's telling the truth!" Kaiba hissed. "You'd believe a lie from an insane hobo!"

Yugi scowled at him, "No matter what_ you_ think I believe, believe Rini, she's your _daughter_!"

Kaiba swiftly twisted to glance down at Rini. She was watching him with big, sad eyes. He decided he couldn't take it anymore and stormed off down the hall, away from the group, grumbling as he went.

"Fine! Be that way! Asshole!" Joey huffed.

"Joey!" Mai punched him in the arm, "There is a _child_ present!" She pointed to Rini.

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "Haha, yeah, sorry…."

Yugi observed the helpless and desolate Rini, who was staring at the floor, trying not to cry. "What're we going to do you guys?" He asked, "How are we going to convince Kaiba of anything?"

Mai placed her hands on her hips, "We don't." All of them gave her a funny look. "Kaiba will join us eventually when he realizes Serena's in trouble."

"How do you know?" Mokuba asked.

Mai gave all of them a sly smirk, "Because he's a guy, and guys love to protect their ladies. He'll come around." She strode over to Rini and bent down to her level, patting her head, "Don't you worry, sweetie. You've got us."

Joey swiftly interrupted, "You're a girl from the future, huh?"

Rini nodded.

"So how the heck did you get _here_?"

"I told you already! The moon crystal. I'm a princess. Princess of the Neo Moon Kingdom." Rini clarified.

Joey shrugged, "I believe it."

Mai gave him a funny look, "How?"

"After everything that we've been through with Yugi," he held out his fingers to count, "a dead ancient Egyptian pharaoh living inside a piece of jewelry, our souls being snatched out of our bodies, living in virtual cyberspace, and travelling back to the past, I'd say a moon princess is pretty normal."

Yugi, Mai, and Mokuba all giggled.

* * *

><p>Kaiba slammed his fist against is bedroom wall, grunting as his hand made contact. He was furious, but mostly confused, and a little bit worried. He honestly didn't know what to make of this situation. Was this really for real? A little girl shows up at his house and says she's <em>his daughter<em>. That by itself is just absurd, but the idea that she's from the future…. Well, that was even weirder.

Kaiba inhaled forcefully. He placed his forehead against the wall. It was cool, bringing his heated mind to a slightly calmer place. Everything was just too bizarre. Wasn't he done with all of this garbage? The pharaoh had returned home, wasn't that enough? He had refused to trust that ancient Egyptian crap in the first place, so why were new things popping up now? It was all too much to take.

Rubbing his temples, Kaiba gave the situation a sincere thought. If what Rini said was true, then Serena was really in danger. Darien was murdered; maybe Serena was next in the murderer's mind? Could Ahmose and Vincent really be a threat? Kaiba shook his head. Absolutely not, those two were foolish! Neither one of those college Frat boys could be capable of something like murder anyway, they were probably more interested in where the next party was and which sorority girl they were going to hook up with next.

However, it was rather strange, how the whole situation went down. First the car accident, now Rini, and on top of that, Yugi was declaring Vincent as a menace. Sure, Yugi had been right about a few things before, but _this_ too?

Kaiba sighed. The only real indication he had to confirm that all of this could be true was Rini. She looked like Serena, that was for sure, but she also looked like him. Still, someone looking like someone else never made much of a difference in Kaiba's mind. That stupid Priest Seto from ancient Egypt looked _exactly_ like him, and he still didn't want to credit any of that junk.

Yet there was one thing, _just one thing_ that could truly sway Seto Kaiba. Rini. Her name. Rini was his mother's middle name; it was always a name that Seto was fond of. He told himself that if he had a daughter one day, he'd name her Rini. Just moments ago, Rini Kaiba stood in front of him, same name, similar face, and calling him her _father_. All the pieces fit.

* * *

><p>"So?" Joey began, breaking everyone's thoughts. The group was sitting around the Kaiba's large dining room table, sipping on tea, lost in thought. "Do we go looking for Serena or what?"<p>

"We need to think about this carefully." Yugi set his mug down on the table, "Like Rini said, there's trouble, but do we know how to approach it and exactly where it's coming from?"

"But you said that Vincent was dangerous, remember?" Mai stated, "You said you saw him in a dream…."

Yugi nodded, "Yeah, but Kaiba said that he'd met both Vincent and Ahmose. Apparently they were not a threat."

"Well, whoever killed Darien is the one we need to go after." Joey indicated.

Mai set her mug down sharply, "And how do you suppose we find out who that person is?"

Joey shrugged and took a long drink of his tea.

"Could it hurt to go check up on Serena? See how she's doing. Maybe that way we could talk to her, try to figure things out…." Mokuba offered as he drank his tea.

"Mokuba has a good point," Mai said, "Isn't that what I suggested in the first place?" She flipped a long, thick strand of blonde hair over her shoulder and rubbed Rini's back. "Do you want to go see your mother?"

The pink-haired girl nodded, then looked down for a couple seconds. She looked back up at Mai with gloomy eyes, "What about daddy?"

Mai softly smiled, "He'll be fine."

"But he might be in danger if we leave him here!" She cried.

"Shhhh, it's okay," She rubbed Rini's back some more to calm her down, "Your dad will be just fine, trust me. He can handle himself."

"B-but I don't want to leave him."

"You don't have to." Everyone turned their heads in the direction of the voice. Kaiba was standing in the doorway, half smiling at Rini. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. He walked over to her and bent down to her level, "Can you forgive me for the way I acted before?"

Rini beamed, her cute teeth sparkling in the light, "Of course, daddy!" She jumped off her chair and gave him a big hug. Kaiba genuinely returned the embrace. He finally came to the conclusion on what to believe. Hugging her tighter confirmed his choice.

"Are you ready to go see your mom?" He asked her as they pulled away.

Rini nodded eagerly, "Absolutely!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yet again, I am ending this just a smidge short than what I had planned, but don't you worry, updates are on the way! **

** I know that some people may be confused by Seto's softness towards Rini, but don't forget that his character has a true soft spot for children. Heck, that's why he opened up Kaiba Land, so he could give orphan children a place to have fun. **

** Anyway, until next time! Thanks for reading! Please review! Thank you! **


	19. Revenge

**A/N: I don't have much to say here except, **_**enjoy**_**! **

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 19- Revenge<p>

"So what was the premonition that Rei told you?" Ahmose asked Serena as he turned the steering wheel to make a left turn.

Serena broke out of her thoughts and looked at Ahmose, "Oh, yeah. She said that Sailor Moon was in danger."

Ahmose narrowed his eyes at her. The way she said that was just too casual. Was she not worried? She _should_ be worried. "You don't seem concerned at all."

She shrugged, "No, not really…."

"Why not?"

"Rei's been wrong before. Besides, Sailor Moon is long gone. No one's coming to fight her."

Confusion flashed upon Ahmose's face, "I guess, but don't you still possess the silver crystal?"

"Yeah."

"Doesn't that hold Sailor Moon's power?"

Serena nodded, "Yeah, but trust me. If Sailor Moon were in danger, I'd know first before her, don't you think?" They both laughed a little, knowing that Serena _was_ Sailor Moon. Serena shrugged, "I don't know. I guess I'm just too upset about Darien's murder and the car accident to even care or think about anything involving Sailor Moon right now."

Ahmose nodded, "I gotcha." Silence enveloped the car once again as they both sat there, musing over their situations.

It wasn't too long before Ahmose decided to speak again, this time the tone of his voice completely changed. It was dark, cold, nasty and most of all, regretful. "I'm sorry, Serena."

The nature of his voice threw her off; she perked her head up and gave him a puzzled glance, "For what?"

Out of nowhere a pair of hands reached out from behind Serena's seat, one hand grabbing her eyes, and the other clutching her mouth.

A snake-like voice spoke in her ear, making her skin crawl and her body quiver. This voice was unfamiliar to Serena, making the experience all the more awful. "For this."

* * *

><p>Seto Kaiba sat quietly in the backseat of Mai's car with Rini on his lap. He was looking out the window and attempting to ignore the conversation that the rest of the people in the vehicle were having. Everyone else was discussing Serena and the fact that she was in danger. Yeah, Seto knew that there was a possibility, there was always a possibility, but he still wasn't fully convinced, not yet at least. He had to see it to believe it. Of course, he wished for Serena's safety, but in the depths of his mind there was a lagging sensitivity to the entire situation. Something just told him that this situation was…. off. He couldn't place his finger on it; it was just a feeling, and Seto Kaiba never wanted to rely on his feelings. Being a slave to his emotions was the opposite of what a true businessman did.<p>

Mai pulled the car into the driveway of Serena's parents house. She turned herself around to eye-up Mokuba who was sitting in the middle of the backseat, in-between his brother and Yugi.

"You sure she was dropped off here?" She asked.

"She was supposed to be from what I heard."

Mai nodded, "Okay, just checking. I wanna avoid any awkward situations if I can."

Mokuba laughed, "That's completely understandable! She told me that she was heading to her parents house, and this is the place."

"Alright then," Joey piped in, "let's go." He hopped out of the car and raced for the front door. Once everyone caught up to Joey he pushed in the doorbell and they all waited.

Mrs. Tsukino opened up the door just a crack; only half of her face was showing.

"Hello, Mrs. Tsukino," Mai began, "I'm Mai Valentine, Serena's roommate. Is Serena there?"

Before the older woman could speak Rini shot through the doorway and draped her arms around Mrs. Tsukino. "Grandmother! I missed you!" Rini yelled, burying her face into the fabric Mrs. Tsukino wore.

"Rini!" Disbelief struck Mrs. Tsukino as she bent down to Rini's eye-level, "What in the world are you doing here?"

"I'm here because mommy and daddy are in danger!" The little girl exclaimed.

"You were sent back to the past…. _again_?" Mrs. Tsukino questioned.

"Again!?" Joey shouted. "So what you're sayin' is that Rini's already been here before?"

Rini nodded, "Yes, to help my mom out when she was still Sailor Moon."

Mrs. Tsukino shushed her, "Rini, don't tell these strangers anything about your mother."

"We aren't strangers, Mrs. Tsukino," Mai pleaded, worry and desperation transcribed across her face, "we're Serena's friend's and if what Rini said is true about Serena being in danger, then we want to help in anyway we can."

Mrs. Tsukino narrowed her eyes at them.

Rini quickly faced her grandmother, "They aren't strangers!" She pointed to Seto who was standing near the back of the group, "He's my father!"

"What?" She took one glance at the man Rini claimed to be her father and patted Rini's head in a condescending and comforting way, "Rini, your father is Darie-"

"Dead." Everyone twisted their heads towards Seto, "Darien is dead."

Rini's eyes began to water, "W-what?"

Mrs. Tsukino stood up defensively, "How _dare_ you? She's only a child! Why would you say that in front of her?"

"Because it's true. She needs to know the truth."

"Leave! Whoever you all are! Leave!" She screamed.

"Where's Serena!" Seto hissed.

"I said _leave_!"

"Where is she!?"

Mrs. Tsukino was about to speak when Rini stepped in, forcing her grandmother into silence. "Where is she grandma? Where is my mom? If she's in danger we have to know, please!"

Her pleading eyes did not fall short of crushing Mrs. Tsukino's heart as she dimmed her eyes. "Serena's not here. She was supposed to arrive hours ago. My husband and I can't get ahold of her because her cell phone was destroyed in the car accident. We've already called the police, they've began a search." Tears welled up in her eyes and she bent down to touch Rini's face. "I've had a wicked terrible feeling all morning that something just wasn't right." Tears burst through like the breakage of a damn as Serena's mother sobbed over the unknown whereabouts of her precious daughter.

"We are so sorry, Mrs. Tsukino," Yugi said, the empathy in his voice was comforting, "if there's anything we can do-"

"Find Serena!" Her eyes were immense and earnest. She was still crying, "Please, just bring her home! That's all I want…."

Seto began walking back towards the car; every step was urgent and fast-paced. Everyone deliberately followed but stopped when Mrs. Tsukino shouted, "And you," Seto slightly rotated to get a tiny glimpse of her, "take care of Rini, _please_. I trust you… I trust that you are her father."

Seto didn't say anything; he merely opened up the car door and hopped in, leaving poor Mrs. Tsukino to her worrisome thoughts. She gradually shut the front door and surveyed the group through a nearby window as they drove away.

* * *

><p>Little waves of sniffles and sobs echoed throughout the car. Rini was mourning the loss of Darien, a man she knew so well, and the man she had believed to be her father. Of course, after the future changed she knew that he wasn't, but it still stung. She had really gotten to know Darien and he was a good guy. Being so young, this was just awful and heart breaking.<p>

Rini curled up into Seto's arms and cried into his chest. He stroked her hair, trying to comfort her, but he didn't even know what to say. Serena was missing and nothing was more silencing than knowing that.

He swallowed nervously, trying to think deeply about everything. He felt so overwhelmed. So much was happening all at once that he felt like he was about to break. Sure, Seto Kaiba had been stressed, but not like this. This was his family, not Kaiba Corp. At Kaiba Corp. the stress was strictly work-related, but in this position it was life, and possibly death. Rini and Serena, they were his 'supposed' new family; he had to protect them from whatever it was that was threatening them. He just hoped that if he blinked a few more times he'd suddenly wake up and this was all some sort of demented dream.

"So Serena is Sailor Moon," Joey stated, "I guess it all makes sense now."

No one said anything. Everyone was lost in thought, especially Seto. Yeah, he'd heard Joey, and Rini before when she'd first mentioned it. Serena being Sailor Moon was no surprise, in fact, it made things much clearer. It made more sense why someone would be after Serena than if she were just a normal girl.

Sailor Moon was a famous 'superhero' so to speak. She was known globally for her tremendous power. People had threatened her since day one, trying to obtain it, kill her for it, and use it to overcome. It was all very similar to what Yugi had gone through when he still had the Millennium Puzzle. Seto had never tried to take that power away from him, but he'd seen others try, and he assumed that Serena had experienced the same thing while she was Sailor Moon.

'_Serena….'_ Seto thought as he looked down at Rini, her eyes were closed, but small droplets of tears still continued to trickle down her soft cheeks. _'Wherever you are, I'll find you. I'll bring you home.'_

"Mai," Seto said abruptly, ending the silence, "you're heading back to my mansion, correct?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Was there somewhere else you wanted me to go?"

"Head back to the hospital. There's something important we need to pick up."

* * *

><p>The room was dark, dimly lit. A small light bulb hung down from the ceiling, swinging back and forth lightly. A soggy, damp odor occupied Serena's nostrils as she strained to center her vision. The light bulb's slight movements were not helping her cause. Her head was throbbing; she could feel her heartbeat in her skull. Her breathing felt strenuous and her body ached as she struggled to move. Something was keeping her in place and she realized that an extremely large rope was tied around her entire midriff. She kicked her feet but they were tied down as well. Realizing that she was all tied up and lying on a cold concrete floor she tried to scream, however, nothing came out but a subdued sound, not loud enough to lure any attention. A sizeable wad of fabric was wrapped around her mouth to maintain her from any outward communication.<p>

Tears began to swim down her cheeks as panic set in, twisting and turning within her gut. She had no idea where she was and she had no idea how she got here. Why was she here? Why was she being held captive?

Soft footsteps were heard from behind her, and she tried to turn around to see who was there but the rope contained her. The footsteps inched closer until feet were visible. A strong arm pulled her up and a rough hand ripped the cloth off of her face, letting the strangled material hang tightly around her neck. She lifted her heavy eyes to see the dimly lit face of the man who had captured her.

A sudden shudder of darkness overwhelmed her being as tears began to roll down faster. The darkness that surrounded this man was strong and unnerving, giving him an almost supernatural sense about him. His hair was midnight black, matching the color of his eyes. The paleness of his skin seemed to be the only visible thing about him in the poorly lit room.

Alert bolted throughout Serena. She felt so panicky around him that she couldn't even speak. However, she didn't need to worry about speaking because the man was going to do it for her.

He opened his mouth and his speech was snake-like and demonic, toying with her intellect every time he said a word. "Why do you think you are here?"

Serena couldn't speak, and even if she tried nothing would even come out.

He seized her chin lightly, rubbing her soft, tear-stricken cheeks with his thumb as he spoke, "I asked you a question, princess."

More tears fell down, landing gracefully over his thumb. Serena still couldn't speak, she was just too frightened.

"I see…." He said as he stood up, licking the tears she left off of his wet thumb. He took her in for just a moment, studying every inch of her terrified being. "There's something important that I need from you." A profound groan escaped his throat as he peered down at her with sharp eyes, "Unfortunately, _I_ cannot obtain what I need from you, however…" A door creaked open behind the man and another man was standing in the doorway. "I know someone who can."

As Serena's eyes adjusted to the new light, she finally made out the image of the silhouetted man in the doorway. A loud, petrified and shocked gasp bellowed out from Serena as she recognized just who was in the doorway.

* * *

><p>The group rushed into the hospital and fast-walked over to the services desk. Seto butted to the front of the line and pushed over a middle-aged couple that was ready to be helped.<p>

"I need the hospitals parking lot security videos," Seto said hastily, throwing the secretary off guard.

She gulped, "Excuse me sir, but you need to wait in line like everyone else." She briefly pointed to the back of the line, "Now, if you please," she glanced over to the couple that got moved over by the determined CEO, "I was in the middle of helping someone."

Seto slammed his hand down on the desk, shocking the secretary. "Listen to me! I demand those videos be brought to me now, or someone to direct me to view them."

"Sir, I don't think you understand-"

Seto whipped out his drivers license and Kaiba Corp. I.D. card and handed them to the secretary. She shot him a few confused glances before taking the cards. Her eyes and mouth slowly widened, she glanced at him then back at the cards a few times before handing them back to Seto.

"Now do you understand who I am?"

She swallowed hard and then said, "Y-yes sir. I will hook you up with security right away." She swiveled her chair over to pick up the telephone and dialed the number for the hospital security. After a minute the secretary hung up and said, "Take the elevator to B1 and a security guard will be waiting there to bring you to your destination."

Seto simply nodded and walked away without another word. Yugi, Joey, Mai, Mokuba, and Rini trailed a bit behind him. Joey nudged his arm into Mokuba to get the young Kaiba's attention.

"How does he do that?" Joey whispered.

Mokuba chuckled, "He practically runs this city Joey…. _You_ should know that."

Joey furrowed his brows while the rest of the group giggled.

"Hurry up!" Seto said, holding the elevator doors open for them. They quickly ran in and the elevator advanced to descend.

A heavier-set security guard was waiting for them as the elevator came to a halt and its doors opened. "Mr. Kaiba," the man said with seriousness, he knew Kaiba wasn't a man who messed around, "which security footage would you like to view today?"

"Footage of your east-side parking lot from earlier today." Seto's seriousness matched the tone of the security guards.

The man nodded and said, "Come this way." He led them down the hall and into a back room. The room was dark and full of television screens and computer monitors showing current streams of video from all different vantage points of the hospital.

The security guard typed a few things on his computer, "Do you know an approximate time, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Around ten, ten-thirty," Mai stated. She knew the time more than Kaiba did, considering he didn't witness Serena getting into the car.

The security guard nodded and pressed a few buttons, "Look up at the top right screen," the screen flashed and began to rewind footage. It stopped on a frame and in the bottom portion of the screen displayed little digital numbers, showing the date and the time of the captured footage. The video began to play forward. The backs of Ahmose and Serena were seen walking out of the hospital and into the parking lot. In the distance was a figure of a man with dark hair, leaning slyly up against a car. As the camera angle improved, the full face of the man was seen as he quickly jumped into the car.

"Rewind about ten seconds back," Seto ordered as he leaned in closer to the viewing monitor. The tape rewound and began to play once again. "Pause right there!" Seto insisted. The screen paused, capturing the man beginning to climb into the car. "Zoom in on his face as close as you can." The guard did as he was told and eventually Seto's facial features tightened up as he recognized who it was. He turned to Yugi and said, "Its Vincent." Seto looked at the security guard, "Could you get me the license plate number on that vehicle?" The security guard nodded and zoomed into the license plate and Seto wrote down the number. "Come on, let's go." He said to everyone and walked out of the room. Mokuba thanked the man before they all left.

Once they were all in the elevator, Seto handed the piece of paper that had the license plate number written on it to Mokuba, "Find out who owns this car and where it is."

Mokuba smirked up at his brother, "No problem." Mokuba reached into his back pocket and flipped open a Kaiba Corp. touch-screen device. He typed on it rapidly as the elevator stopped and the group weaved their way through people on their way out of the hospital.

"Found it, Seto," Mokuba said as the group continued to walk and talk, "the car's a 2010 Hyundai Sonata and is owned by Ahmose Palladino. The car is located near the warehouses by the bay on the other side of the city, but that's just where the car is, who knows if Serena's there…"

Seto frowned; anger and worry invaded his being as he got into Mai's car. "She better be there…."

The purple Mercedes Benz hummed to life, "Where to?" Mai asked.

"Back to my mansion," Seto replied.

Mokuba turned to his brother, "Wait a second, Seto. Aren't we going to go look for Serena?"

Seto locked eyes with Rini, who had gladly taken back her place upon Seto's lap. An impression of tremendous concern swamped Seto as he continued to stare into his daughter's innocent eyes. The last thing he wanted was for his family to be in any danger. If he went looking for Serena, who knows what he'd run into…. or who…. A vivid image of Vincent's serpent-like face burned in the back of his mind, haunting him with thoughts of terror.

"No,_ I'm_ going to go look for Serena," Seto announced.

Misunderstanding was written across Mokuba's face, "But I thought we were all going?"

"I can't risk putting you and Rini in danger, plus Yugi, Joey, and Mai will wait at the mansion with you." He gave Mai a stern glance through the rearview mirror and she smirked broadly, confidently nodded her head to confirm his statement.

"But Seto," Mokuba began, "you can't go alone! That's ridiculous! What if something happens to you?"

"Nothing's going to happen to me, Mokuba."

"But you don't know that!" The younger Kaiba protested, "They could be planning to kill you!"

Seto didn't say anything; he just stared straight ahead, thinking about all of the threats he would be facing soon. None of that mattered now. Serena needed to be saved.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thanks for reading! Please review! Chapter 20 coming soon! **


	20. A Sliver Of Time

**A/N: Welcome to Chapter 20! Can you believe it? I know I hardly can! Enjoy.**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 20- A Sliver Of Time<p>

Jumping into his bright red Ferrari he had bought years ago with Mokuba, Seto hurriedly climbed in, buckled up, and connected his cell phone to his auxiliary jack so that he could hear his brother through the car's speakers.

"Can you hear me, Mokuba?"

"_Copy that_!" Mokuba said, his voice radiating from the car's speakers.

Seto lit up the engine, revved up the car, and squealed out of his garage. He wasn't about to waste time, not with Serena's life on the line.

"_Are you sure you don't want to call the police_?" Mokuba asked.

"No, I'm better off doing this myself. No need to get authorities involved when we can estimate where Serena is faster than them."

"_How do you suppose we're faster than them_?"

"The police don't drive around in Ferrari's, Mokuba."

The CEO slammed on the gas and the car took off, flying down the streets of Domino like a red bolt of lightning.

* * *

><p>"Ahmose!" The sound of her own scream scared her, but nothing freaked her out more than her best friend standing before her, watching her squirm. "Ahmose!" Serena cried, "Ahmose! Please help me! <em>Please<em>!"

He said nothing. He just stood there watching her like she was _nothing_. It was like she didn't mean anything to him. Her life was possibly in danger and he could care less! What changed in him? Why would he suddenly not care about her?

"Ahmose…." Tears rolled down her cheeks like soft rain as heavy sobs of thunder rumbled out of Serena's throat. She could feel her chest tightening up as it sunk in…. she was alone in this, and she was in major trouble. Rei's prediction was right, and Sailor Moon was in danger!

'_I'm sorry, Serena_.' His last words to her popped into her head and stung straight through her heart when she finally realized why he said what he said. She swallowed hard, trying to be brave even though every bit of her wanted to scream.

The other man in the room began to walk towards the door. He coiled up next to Ahmose and slurred, "I'll leave you two alone." He slowly slithered away, briefly giving Serena one final glimpse before he vanished.

Ahmose and Serena stared at each other for an agonizingly long time. Neither one moved. Serena was feeling completely uncomfortable, yet there was nothing she could do, she was all tied up.

It seemed like almost five minutes before Ahmose decided to come towards her. His face was like stone. He didn't flinch, he hardly blinked, and his eyes even looked gray and frosty. Serena had never seen him look like this before and it absolutely stunned her.

"I can't help you, Serena." Rock ice words hit her ears like a deafening tone. The words were sharp, cold, and brittle. This wasn't Ahmose anymore; the person standing in front of her was a completely different man.

Serena tried rationalizing with him, "Ahmose! Please!" Her pleads didn't change his facial expressions at all, "Listen to me! You don't need to do this! You can help me and then we can both get out of here and get away from that creep!"

Ahmose bent down in front of her and placed his hands on her chest. He let his eyes fall to the ground. "Like I said before, Serena," This time his voice cracked, almost as if his emotions were going to seep out, "I am sorry. I lied to you. Rei was right," He looked up, locking eyes with her, "I killed Darien."

Shocked, baffled, and feeling absolutely betrayed, Serena didn't know how to react. She just stayed still. She stayed still for quite some time, not moving, not crying, not saying anything. Finally, she spoke, locking her eyes firmly with his, "Why?" Her voice was choppy, "Why did you do it?"

"It was an accident."

This time Serena couldn't contain herself, "AN ACCIDENT!" She yelled, tears poured out of her blue eyes, "MURDER IS NOT AN ACCIDENT!"

Ahmose grabbed her shoulders tightly, "Listen! It was a mistake! It wasn't supposed to be Darien!"

"It shouldn't be _anyone_!" Serena reprimanded.

Ahmose shook his head with force, "No, you don't understand. It _has_ to be someone."

"Who?" Serena asked. She didn't want to know what Ahmose was going to say and that frightened her.

Ahmose frowned, "I'm not going to tell you that." He pushed his hands harder into Serena's chest making her cry out. "I have to take this from you. It's my destiny."

"Take what!?" Serena screamed. Suddenly, her chest started to glow a bright, white light. That's when she knew. Ahmose was planning on taking the silver crystal! "STOP IT, AHMOSE! PLEASE!" She begged in a panicky tone, "I'LL DIE IF THE CRYSTAL'S TAKEN FROM ME!"

The glow enhanced. The rays of light were shining off of the walls, brightening up the room. Serena could feel the crystal slowly being pulled out of her, but there was nothing she could do, the ropes were too strong. The whole time she was crying out in agony. That crystal was part of her soul, it was her lifeline, and her best friend was taking it from her, someone she thought she could truly trust.

Serena couldn't help but think how Ahmose was able to pull the silver crystal from her. Only someone with ties to the Moon Kingdom could control the stone. Did that mean Ahmose had connections?

Ahmose groaned forcefully as the crystal was yanked out of Serena's chest. She wailed out as her body hit the floor, lifeless and dead weight.

Ahmose stood up slowly, staring at the beautiful silver crystal in his hand. It didn't stop shining, not even when it was taken from Serena. The fractures of light captivated him and he found himself draw to the crystal like a moth to the flame.

Small slithery footsteps inched their way towards Ahmose, creeping up behind him. "Be ready, Ahmose. The time has come. He is on his way, and you need a plan to stop him before he obtains the silver crystal from you."

Ahmose grinned wickedly, staring deeply into the prize in his hand, "Don't worry, Seto Kaiba will be dead the moment he steps through here." In a flash, the sword that the Moon Kingdom's Highest Noble Knight had was now in Ahmose's grip, ready to be used on any opposing intruder.

"And the girl?" Vincent said, his lips curving in a snake-like fashion, his eyes flaming with brutal passion, and his voice brimming with a vile flare.

"She'll be my bait." Once Seto Kaiba arrived, he'd go looking for Serena, but Ahmose wasn't about to let him take her away.

As quickly as the two men came, they were gone, and Serena was alone in the room. She let out a large gasp of air, and inhaled profoundly, trying to catch her breath. She had been pretending to be dead or unconscious, but now she felt like she was quickly going to slip into both. Serena began to weep, as she knew she'd die soon without the crystal, and that Seto's life was now on the line. How many more people had to die for her? Was this going to be _her_ end? The questions made her sob more….

* * *

><p>His Global Positioning System spoke in a light female voice, telling Seto Kaiba where he needed to go. He took a sharp turn, squealing his back tires. He raced down the streets and through the alleys to get to the warehouses by the bay.<p>

Mokuba spoke through their phone call, "_I got in_!"

"That's great. Now, how much time do you have before they kick you off their systems?"

"_Just enough to track down Serena and where she is_."

"Perfect."

Mokuba laughed, "_It wasn't as hard as I expected_."

"I was breaking into the C.I.A.'s databases long before I was president of Kaiba Corp. It's no surprise to me that you were able to do it, kiddo."

"_Well, when you're trained by the best…_." Mokuba laughed and Seto even cracked a small smirk. "_I'm sending the coordinates to your car's GPS right now. You should be seeing a small uploading bar on the right-hand corner of your screen_."

"I see it."

"_Sweet! Now, just follow those directions and that should lead you straight to Serena. The car is going to be parked back further than where she actually is. The C.I.A.'s database tells me that there are three moving bodies in a service center in the middle of all of the warehouses._"

"Yes," Seto replied, glancing down at his GPS screen, "I'm getting that picture now."

"_Okay, you got it from here, bro_?" Mokuba asked.

"Yes."

"_I'm going to disconnect the call, just incase the C.I.A. somehow tracks my I.P. address and goes after you and your mission._"

"I'm not worried, Mokuba."

"_Okay. Good luck, stay safe. Bye_." The call disconnected and Seto Kaiba was alone now.

* * *

><p>Rini flinched and grabbed her chest, "I-I am having trouble breathing!" She exclaimed, trying to gasp for air. Her breathing was shallow and rough. Joey and Mai hurried over to her, holding her tight.<p>

"What wrong?" Mai asked. Concern and alarm were etched into her voice.

"S-something bad has happened!" Rini screamed.

"Should I call a doctor?" Mokuba asked. He ripped out his earpiece and slammed his laptop shut, rushing over to Rini, Mai, and Joey. Yugi soon rushed over to them too, holding his cellphone in his hand, having it ready to go incase of an emergency.

Rini shook her head, "No, I don't n-need a d-doctor. Something terrible has h-happened to the silver c-crystal." Her breathing was so forced she could hardly get a sentence out.

Joey picked her up, cradling her in his arms. He carried her over to the family room in the Kaiba mansion and laid her down on the comfy sofa. Mai grabbed a pillow and blanket and laid them by Rini.

"You need to rest." Mai stated. She placed the back of her hand on Rini's forehead. "You aren't running a fever."

"It's not that! I'm not sick!" She said, "It's the silver crystal. It's been taken!"

"What?" Yugi asked.

"It's been taken from my mother," Tears began to well up in her eyes, "It hurts my chest because we're connected through that crystal."

All of them tried to understand but no one spoke.

The tears began to roll down her rosy cheeks, "She'll die if the crystal is taken from her."

* * *

><p>A bizarre wave of pain hit Seto in the chest, almost a feeling of deep panic. Something wasn't right. His gut churned. He realized that his instinct kicked in and was telling him that Serena was not doing so hot. '<em>She must be in severe trouble if I'm feeling this way. What's happened to her? What have they done to her?<em>' His mind raced as the feeling grew stronger, almost overtaking him and affecting his driving. He stepped on the gas pedal harder and gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. The feeling was so strong. A wave of panic and nausea hit him and he desired to disappear. The pain was just so awful, but he toughed through it.

He quickly raced around a street corner, squealing out his tires. The pier was just up ahead, which meant that the warehouses were nearby. Seto slowed down a smidge and scanned his exterior surroundings. There were at least a dozen warehouses up ahead. Seto decided he'd park his car a far enough distance away so that no one inside would be able to notice. He pulled into an alley and quickly parked. Jumping out of his car as fast as he could, Seto ran like there was no tomorrow. He ran as far and as fast as his legs would carry him.

Inching up next to the side of a warehouse, he sneakily looked around the corner to make sure there was no one. The coast was clear, so he made his way over to the next patch of warehouses, and that's when he saw the Hyundai Sonata parked a few paces away. He decided to head in that general direction and sneak behind another couple warehouses before spotting the odd service center building that Mokuba had mentioned. It was an old gray and red brick building that looked way past its prime. The entire service center complex was dark and Seto's stomach dropped as a frightening worry for Serena kicked into full gear. He couldn't let anything bad happen to her, he just _couldn't_!

Seto bolted for the building. Checking the windows to see if any movement could be detected. Nothing. He hurried over to the front door and attempted to open it, however, it was locked. He snuck around back, and to his luck, the backdoor was propped open. He took a few deep breaths, and with his heart pounding a mile a minute, Seto wiped open the door and flew inside.

The lights were off and Seto had no clue where the heck he was going. He figured he needed to crouch down somewhere and let his eyes adjust to the newfound darkness. He found a small spot in what seemed to be a corner and bent down, blinking a few times to amend his vision. From there he proceeded to investigate the building, heading deeper and deeper into its twisting and turning halls, and maze-like rooms. Seto felt like he was walking in a circle, going nowhere, and getting nothing accomplished. He _needed_ to find Serena and time was rapidly running out!

He propped open a door, then another, and another, but all he found were dark, empty rooms. Seto decided he'd search for a stairwell. Walking around yet another curve of the building, Seto found stairs leading down into a pitch-black basement. The darkness made his chest tighten and his stomach churn. This was antagonizing. He didn't want to be here, but he had to find Serena.

Slowly but surely, Seto paced his way down the stairs. With each step the wooden stairs creaked. The sound actually frightened him more than it should, and he reached into his back pocket, pulling out a semi-automatic, Glock handgun. He braced the weapon tightly and thrust it out in front of him, pointing it in many different directions before he continued on.

Seto was about to take another step when a large crack was heard from below him. He paused and looked around, spotting nothing in the darkness. He stood still for a few seconds, making sure the noise didn't have any repercussions. Suddenly, the wooden staircase shattered beneath him and Seto came tumbling down, along with the wooden boards. The fall to the floor felt like it was endless. Seto hit the concrete hard, landing flatly. The air in his lungs completely escaped him. Seto anxiously attempted to obtain oxygen, however, his lungs failed him. The wind was entirely knocked out of him and there was nothing he could do. His body felt rigid and challenging to move, he could feel his head spinning like he was riding the Tilt-a-Whirl. Seto's body was dwindling on him and so was time itself. If Seto's time was up, then so were all of his chances to save Serena. She was doomed.

Time appeared to drastically slow down, and all motion was wavy and blurry. Seto closed his eyes and let the darkness take over, swallowing up his being and his precious time.

* * *

><p>Like a mother feline picks up her wandering kittens by the back of their neck, Ahmose grabbed Seto's neck forcefully, propping up his unconscious body by bringing Seto to his knees. Ahmose shook him hard until he heard a low groan escape Seto's lips.<p>

A brutish smile snuck its way onto Ahmose's lips as he hissed, "Ahhhh, if it isn't the great Seto Kaiba."

It took Seto a long time to ease out of his unconsciousness. His head swiveled back and forth as he attempted to focus. The life seemed like it was drained out of him. He felt weak, vulnerable. He couldn't move his muscles; the fall seemed to have damaged his body way too much. Nothing seemed real, it all looked like a dream…. A nightmare….

"Wake up you prick!" Ahmose shouted as he hoisted up Seto by the back of the neck and threw him to the cold, damp floor. "WAKE UP!"

"Urghhhhh," Seto groaned as he tried to move. He could hear his joints crack as he sluggishly lifted himself up with his arms.

Ahmose stomped over to him, and once Seto was almost up off of the ground, Ahmose kicked him forward, sending Seto flying.

Seto tasted blood once his face scraped the dirty floor. He could barely breathe. Time was running out. This was not good. This was not good at all!

Seto took another blow, this time nearly knocking him out again. Ahmose rushed over to him and picked him back up by the back of his neck. Seto was pulled off of the floor and brought to his knees. He didn't say anything. He didn't move. Seto just stayed kneeling, like the helpless person he was. He felt defiled and hollow. This was it. There was no chance now. Nothing could save him. He was going to die right here.

And that's when he heard it, the tone of his impending death. The small click of the Glock handgun he had carried in with him, the sound's origin was from that. Seto knew, he _knew_ that was it. It was all over. He'd done it to himself, if only he'd chosen to leave the gun in his vehicle….

Ahmose pulled Seto's head back by his chestnut brown hair, making Seto shriek in pain. Ahmose bent down and whispered into Seto's ear, "I've been waiting to kill you, and now my moment is finally here." Ahmose pushed Seto's head down and backed away just enough to place the barrel of the pistol on Seto's temple. "It's time to die, Seto Kaiba."

Seto closed his eyes in defeat. He swallowed hard and took a shaky breath, bracing himself.

The trigger was pulled and the gun fired.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh my gosh, I know! I am just too dangerously mean! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! New chapter coming soon, I promise! I wouldn't make you all suffer that much, haha. Please review! Thank you!**


	21. Rise of The King

**A/N: Hello everyone! I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. Get ready for chapter 21! I didn't wanna make you all wait so long on that last cliffy! :)**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 21- Rise Of The King<p>

Bright visions, like flashes of light raced through Seto's mind just moments before the gun was fired. He saw Yugi's double, the Egyptian Pharaoh, Atem, handing over Egypt's thrown to him, and dubbing 'High Priest Seto' Egypt's new pharaoh. He saw Serena dressed in a beautiful white and gold gown. He saw himself with her and felt the connection being made between them. In that instant he knew that Serena and him were more than just acquaintances, and that their line of interaction descended through time.

There was an important item in Seto's visions, the Silver Moon Crystal. The moon crystal was what gave Serena life, and Seto was somehow connected to it, like he was chosen by a part of the item itself.

Just then, the visions ended and a shot was fired.

_Darkness_.

_Silence_.

_Nothingness_.

These were the things Seto felt, saw and heard. Then there was nothing. Absolutely _nothing_….

It felt like years until he discovered the sound of his own heavy breathing. He heard his heart beating inside of his head and felt it hammering against his chest. Blood rushed through his veins, causing a wave of flushed heat to wash over him, like a sudden and brief rainstorm.

Was this a dream? Was he still…. _Alive_!?

Ahmose's burst of anger confirmed Seto's musings. He rapidly shouted into the air, "What!? This damn gun!" He smacked the side of the barrel and checked the magazine. It was loaded. Ahmose aimed the weapon straight up in the air and shot into the ceiling. The firing sound was loud and vibrated the tiny room. Little pieces of the ceiling crumbled down onto the both of them.

Seto was shocked. He was still on his knees and was motionless. The gun had just misfired! The chances of a gun malfunctioning were like the slim chances of winning the lottery. It barely _ever _happened!

"There," Ahmose spoke, "all taken care of." He placed the end of the barrel back onto Seto's temple and smirked wildly. "Now…. Where were we?"

Another shot from the gun, but this time it only clunked.

A surge of silence occupied the room as both of the men were astounded.

_Twice_! It happened _twice_! The gun misfired twice! This was insanely impossible, yet here Seto Kaiba was, alive and well after having a gun fired at his head, _twice!_ How was the weapon able to shoot just fine at the ceiling, but every time it was aimed at Seto it failed? What in the world was happening?

"I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!" Ahmose bellowed as he flung the gun across the room. The weapon hit the wall with a loud crash, and Seto winced at the noise it made.

The sound of a metal blade being yanked out of its holster made Seto freeze. He swallowed anxiously when he realized that this weapon would _not _malfunction.

Ahmose thrust the sword high up into the air, targeting it straight for Seto's back, "Good riddance!" He pushed the sword down, but before the harsh, silver blade could reach its mark, a flaming arrow shot Ahmose in the hand, making him drop his precious weapon to the floor. The sword clattered and shook violently as it connected with the concrete.

Ahmose grabbed his burning hand and cried out in pain, "Dammit!" He screamed.

Seto turned to where the arrow came from. He saw a woman with dark eyes and dark hair. She was wearing a red sailor outfit and was holding an all flame bow and arrow. She looked familiar and Seto knew he'd seen her before. He studied her quickly, realizing that she was the famous Sailor Scout, Sailor Mars, but more importantly, he recognized her as Serena's friend, Rei.

Ahmose turned toward her with a ferocious look upon his face. Irritation and rage boiled inside of him, "What the hell are you doing here, Rei!?"

"I'm here to end all of the trouble you've caused, Ahmose." She looked determined and her intensity never faltered.

He scoffed at her, "It's too late. I already have all that I need." He held out the moon crystal, marveling in its beauty. "Without this Serena will die, however," He rapidly reached out and seized Seto by the back of his neck, "once I kill him, I can become Moon King and revive Serena."

"It doesn't work that way, Ahmose. Serena never chose you! She chose Darien, but after you killed him, fate chose a new partner for Serena, someone who was already a king."

Ahmose frowned deeply, "And you don't think I know that!? What do you take me for? A fool?"

Rei glared at him, "Yes! The Moon Princess chooses her king, the one that will wield the power of the moon crystal. Why do you think your shots failed, Ahmose?"

"What're you talking about!?" He spat.

"The gun shots. Why do you think they failed?" The room fell silent, the tension building. "I'll tell you why," Rei continued, "because the moon crystal listens to Serena. If Serena chose Seto then the moon crystal will protect him. Since you're holding the crystal, it decided to prevent you from killing him."

"THAT'S ABSURD!" He screamed, "IT WAS ALWAYS MY DESTINY TO BE THE MOON KING!"

Rei narrowed her dark eyes, "Sometimes we don't get to chose our own destiny."

The rage boiled up in Ahmose and it soon overflowed. Within a flash, Ahmose pushed over Seto, snatched his fallen sword from the concrete floor, and rushed toward Rei at full speed. She barely had enough time to dodge his attack. Rei glided towards the side and prepared herself for a fight. The tip of Ahmose's sword clanked against the ground when his target missed. He flung round hastily and whipped his weapon around, slicing through the air as Rei strategically eluded each swing. She defended herself by sending radiant bursts of fire his way. Ahmose's sword slashed through the flames, however, the heat was slowing him down.

"Ahmose!" Rei roared, "You must stop this nonsense and think about Serena! Her life is on the line because of _you_!"

He swung at her once again, "I'm doing what's right, for the both of us!"

Rei tried to hit him with additional flames, but all attempts failed. "Listen!" She wailed, "Serena is DYING!"

"SHUT UP!" Ahmose hurled his weapon but hit it against the concrete wall.

"Ahmose! Please!" She cried. She sent a blazing fireball his way, knocking him off his feet.

Ahmose hit the ground hard, but didn't stay down for long. He was hastily hoisted up and was being held in a headlock from someone behind him. He could feel the end of a gun barrel being held up to his temple.

Seto gripped Ahmose tight. His eyes showed a passion of fire and fury, mixing like ominous red storm clouds. Seto was frustrated, but most of all, he was profoundly hurt. How could someone who knew Serena his whole life betray her like that? Seto hardly let people come into his life, but even he wouldn't betray someone he loved and cared about. Heck, he wouldn't even betray Yugi and his stupid friends! So how could someone who 'loved' Serena do that? These considerations infuriated Seto to an endless degree that he wanted to just pull the trigger without letting Ahmose explain himself first.

Rei conjured up her flaming bow and arrow and pointed it at Ahmose's head. Her eyes shared the same deep passion that Seto's wielded.

"How could you?" Seto spat, disgusted with Serena's _friend_, "How could you betray her like that? She trusted you and you turned your back on her!"

"I'm making a new life for us!" Ahmose declared.

"_How_!? By _killing_ her!?"

"I can bring her back once _you_ are out of the way!"

Seto dug the barrel into Ahmose's head, pushing it hard against his skin. "Well, news flash, I'm_ not_ going _anywhere_! You're the one on his knees now, and you're under _my_ control."

Ahmose knew Seto was right. He didn't want to lose because that meant losing Serena forever. He wanted her to be his and only his! But it was two against one. Ahmose was confident that his plan was going to work, but now he wasn't so sure.

"If you love her you'll give me the crystal. I'm the only one who can control it properly and you know that. That's why it protected me from your gunshots, and that's why you killed Darien and why you've been trying to kill me." Seto paused, a dangerous grin dancing across his lips, "But trust me, the crystal won't protect you against my shots."

Rei spoke up, "Give Seto the crystal so he can save Serena, Ahmose. It's the only way."

Ahmose closed his eyes. They were right. Seto was the chosen one, but why would Vincent tell him that Ahmose was the rightful Moon King? Would actually killing the current Moon King bring Ahmose to the thrown? It made sense, yet the crystal protected Seto. It made sense that the Moon King was _always_ chosen by the crystal itself, not rightfully picked. Since the crystal was part of Serena, then Serena was the only one who could pick her king. Ahmose unfortunately knew that Serena hadn't picked him, and this made his heart fall to pieces. In this entire process, he'd killed Darien and practically killed Serena. She could even be dead now, and Ahmose couldn't live with that burden on his shoulders.

He took in a long, deep breath, thinking about all the things he did because Vincent told him it was his destiny. Vincent was wicked and surely he was nothing but evil, and Ahmose had listened to him, and in the process, destroyed his best friend, the woman he loved so dearly. Ahmose realized that the only reason he had possession of the moon crystal was because Vincent probably had a plan in place to kill him in order to use the moon crystal for his own demonic purposes. Ahmose let a few tears fall from his eyes, knowing that he wasn't truly the Moon King, or the true love of Serena. He'd just been used, and nothing hurt worse than knowing that.

Tears began to fall, "I'm sorry." Ahmose's heart broke. He'd just realized everything and nothing could change reality. Nothing was ever going to be the same. "I'll give you the crystal, but you need to listen to me. Vincent is evil. He's been using me, and unfortunately it's taken me until now to realize that… Vincent holds this dangerous power, probably equivalent to that of the silver moon crystal. He wants to try and rule the world as king. He's been attempting to do that for thousands of years! His power has allowed him to live for a long time, and if he continues to embrace this power he could possibly live forever!"

Both Rei and Seto were frozen, intently listening, not knowing what to say.

"Seto," Ahmose said through clenched teeth and watery eyes, "I know now that you were chosen for Serena. You are the Moon King. Let me give you the crystal, please."

Seto hesitated, but let go of his grip on Ahmose. Ahmose reached into his back pocket and pulled out the Silver Crystal. He delicately handed off the shiny stone to Seto, who placed it into his own pocket.

Ahmose looked down at his sword and clung to it tight. "I have to kill myself."

Both Rei and Seto gasped. Their eyes were wide with shock.

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Seto hollered.

"Yeah!" Rei shouted, "You can't kill yourself!"

Ahmose looked at both of them, giving them an overpowering look of confidence. "I must. It's the only way that this sword will listen to anyone else."

"What do you mean?" Rei inquired.

"I've seen visions ever since it was given to me. This sword belongs to the Moon Kingdoms Highest Noble Knight and it can be past down to anyone that knight chooses." He gave Seto an intense look, "This sword may have enough power to kill Vincent and his ancient power. I am giving the sword to you Seto."

"But why do I need it!? Can't you just go and kill Vincent with that sword yourself!?" Seto was feeling totally uneasy. This was all happening too fast and all at once. It was kind of too much to take in.

Ahmose shook his head; he tilted the sword upward towards his heart. "I can't go on carrying these burdens…."

"NO WAIT!" Seto tried to rush towards him, but it was too late. The sword cut through Ahmose's chest, piercing through his back on the other side.

Rei covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. She looked horrified and felt like she was going to throw up.

Seto grabbed the sword and trust it out of Ahmose's body. He held Ahmose up and looked the dying man in the eye.

"S-Seto…." His voice was rough and sad, "P-p-please tell her I love her…."

Seto couldn't say anything, he briefly nodded, and felt Ahmose's body fail him as it fell completely lifeless. Seto placed his body gently down on the cold, concrete floor, and used Ahmose's black shirt to wiped the blood off of his hands and the sword's silver blade.

Rei looked at Seto with wide eyes, she seemed worried and confused. "What do we do now?" She asked. Her voice was uneven and shaky.

Seto seized the sword up in the air and studied the blade for a moment. He turned to her with a determined expression in his eyes. "We find Serena."

* * *

><p>Time was something Seto Kaiba never took advantage of. He needed time, maybe even more of it. Being the big corporate tycoon that he was, time was of the essence, <em>always<em>. The saying, 'time is money,' was true for him. Time literally _was_ money. However, the situation he was in this very moment was completely different. In this moment time wasn't exactly money but rather life itself. Time was life. Time was Serena's life. And in this moment, at any moment, her time could run out and Seto wouldn't even have the chance to save her. Nothing was more important than time right now, because time meant Serena.

Seto and Rei raced through the narrow hallways of the old building, trying to figure out where Serena could be. Each door they opened seemed to be one endless dead-end after another. Neither could seem to figure out where the heck they were going.

Seto ran ahead of Rei and opened a few doors down the hall to no success. He slammed all the doors shut in frustration and fury. Walking back from where he came from and turning to Rei, Seto noticed she wasn't moving. She was just standing there, staring at the concrete walls.

"What're you doing?" He asked. A hint of a growing temper in his tone, "We need to be looking for Serena, not standing around!"

She turned to him slowly, their eyes locking. "Seto…. We never went upstairs."

"What?"

Hysteria grew in her voice, "We never went upstairs! She could be up there!"

Rei began to run in the opposite direction but was pulled back by Seto's firm grasp on her upper arm. "Wait! The stairs are broken."

"That doesn't mean there isn't another way to get up there." Seto let go of her arm and they both ran towards the room with the broken staircase.

Once they got to the room and scaled around hunks of broken and busted wood, Rei pointed to a rope hanging from the ceiling that led to the upper level of the building.

"I threw this down to get to you," she said, tugging on the rope with a moderate amount of force, "and it looks like it's still tied up on the other side. Let's go."

The two began climbing. Halfway to the top Seto asked, "Did you just bring a giant rope with you or-"

Rei giggled, "We're by a bay! They have giant ropes here for all of the boats when they need to dock. When I saw that the stairs were out I grabbed the best rope I could find."

"I don't give out compliments too often, so this is rare, but nice work."

Rei smiled, "Thank you!"

When they reached the top they noticed a large hallway jetting out from the right. "Let's go that way," Seto pointed, and they speed down the huge hall, opening every door to hopefully find Serena.

Sweat trickled lightly down the side of Seto's forehead. It wasn't all the running and rope climbing that was making him sweat, but the fact that Serena still wasn't anywhere to be found made Seto extremely nervous. Were they ever going to find her? Was she somehow dragged out of this building and Rei and him were just running in circles trying to find her? Was it too late and he was going to open up a door and find Serena dead-

Just then as Seto opened a door, he found a sight that made his heart stop. His worst thoughts had come true. There she was, lying on the cold floor, eyes closed, barely breathing.

Serena….

_Serena_.

SERENA!

He didn't realize he was screaming until his screams became so loud that they reverberated throughout the room. Seto's own screams sent a harsh chill down his spine. He heard the clicking of Rei's red high heels, and her loud gasp as she caught eye of Serena. They were both frozen. Not knowing what to do or say.

A snake-like hiss spoke suddenly and out of nowhere from behind them. "I'm glad you two decided to make it." The door behind them slammed shut and the room became pitch black.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yes, I am ending my chapter right here. I hope you all enjoyed. Please review, and thank you all for reading thus far! Until next time! **


	22. The Real Enemy

**A/N: Ahhhhhhhh! We're getting so close to the end! It's crazy! Please enjoy chapter 22! BTW, so sorry about all the typo's. Word was acting up. **

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 22- The Real Enemy<p>

The little hanging light flickered on by itself, creating some visibility. However, the room was still drenched in numerous shadows. Vincent's dark features lit up, but were still shaded. He was now standing in front of Rei and Seto, holding Serena up by the front collar of her pink shirt. Serena was lifeless, her head drooping down and her limbs just dangling.

Seto's heart dropped at the sight. He felt it shatter, burst, and fade all at the same time. There was something about Serena, there always had been. That something had been the draw that brought Seto Kaiba so faithfully to Serena. He felt a deep concern, a deep compassion and care for her, and from the start he wanted nothing more than to hold and protect her. But now, he had failed, for Serena was lifeless….

"VINCENT!" He shouted out of pure rage, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER!?"

Vincent smirked, "Come now, Kaiba, there's no need to yell…." He glanced over to the motionless Serena; "I haven't done anything to her. It was Ahmose who took the crystal. As you know she will die without it."

"I'm well aware!" Seto hissed.

"Well then, if you're so well aware, then why don't you give the crystal back to her? Ahmose gave it to you right?"

Both Rei and Seto were silent.

"So technically, since _you_ have the crystal, isn't it _you_, Seto Kaiba, who is killing Serena?"

Seto constricted his gaze, "Are you trying to blame _me_?"

Vincent's voice was slyly defensive, "I'm not trying to blame anyone. I'm just stating the facts."

"Well you're logic is messed up!" Seto roared, "_You're_ the one who used Ahmose, and it's _you_ who created this chaos!"

"Now, now, look who's blaming who."

"Shut up!" Seto yelled, "I've had enough of your bullshit! Give me Serena!"

Vincent's face curled up into a deviant smile, "I'm offended that you think I'm that stupid. This girl is precious. What makes you think I'd give her up to you so easily?"

Rei spoke up, "Listen, Vincent! We don't want to hurt you! Let's just make this easy for all of us."

Vincent nodded, "Right. Make this easy on all of us. Okay," he sent a glare towards Seto, "Kaiba, you're a businessman. How about we propose a trade?"

"I don't trade on people's lives, Vincent!" Seto spat.

"But isn't it your philosophy that life is merely but a game?"

Seto was silent. He had thought that life was merely a game at one point, but over time things changed. He didn't like to make game bets anymore, especially if the bet was life or death. He once stood on the edge of Pegasus' castle wall in order to 'win' in a duel against Yugi to save Mokuba, but that was different, and he'd matured now. His philosophy on life had changed, especially after the car accident. Seto couldn't image his brother living alone in this cruel world without him, and betting his life away was just foolish…. But if it were to save Serena would it be just as foolish?

Vincent took his thin fingers and rubbed the side of Serena's pale face, then taking a strand of her golden hair and wrapping it around his finger, taunting Seto with each twist and turn of his fingers. "So, Seto," the wicked man began, "what do you say?" He held up Serena's body higher into the air, thrusting her closer to them, "Her life…. For _yours_."

"But Serena can't live without the Silver Crystal, and I have it!" Seto countered.

Vincent's dark eyes sneered darkly, "I clearly stated her _life_."

Seto stood there for a moment, mulling everything over. He could give up himself for her. Would he do that? He hardly knew Serena, why would he ransom himself for someone who was practically a stranger? Yet, Seto knew they had a deep connection, something he'd never felt before in his entire life. He also risked so much as it was to make it this far. So, would he complete his mission, or let it all fail?

Seto took a large, long breath, and stepped forward on shaky feet. He couldn't believe he was doing this. He'd give up his life for those he loved, that was for sure. But now here he was, ready to give up his life for Serena. Did that mean he loved her?

The sick, slithering sound of Vincent's voice broke the silence, "Do we have a deal?"

He swallowed hard, grimacing at the situation, but he looked up and bravely spoke loud and clear, "Yes, we have a deal."

"Seto! You've gotta be kidding me!? Have you gone mad!? You can't make a deal with this demon!" Rei roared.

Seto turned back to look at her, pain and fear swept through his blue eyes. "Look after Serena for me…."

Vincent's face was manic and psychotic. Pleasure painted a perverse picture upon his dark features as he threw Serena to the ground by Seto's feet. Seto bent down and instinctively placed the crystal on Serena's chest. It sunk into her body with a brilliant glow. The heavy weight upon Seto's chest lifted as he could feel the life draw back into Serena. He smiled slightly, knowing he made it in time; she was alive and that's all that mattered now.

Without warning, a black, shadowy hand seized Seto's arm roughly, then another, and another. Seto howled out in surprise and struggled to get away but it was futile as many more black hands came lunging towards him, gripping him tightly. The hands came out of nowhere and eventually formed into shadowy figures that resembled people. The shadow people dragged Seto across the filthy floor. He was still constricted once he reached Vincent's feet. The shadow people forced his body to kneel in front of the wicked serpent-like man, shoving Seto's head upward to look Vincent in the eye.

"Do you admire my power?" Vincent held up his tiny black crystal. It smoldered with an intense black light. "I was chosen by this to bring order to the universe. I guess you could say that I am the bringer of justice, and it's about time that I judge you, Seto Kaiba." Vincent smirked as he saw the sword that Ahmose had lying on the dusty ground on the other side of the room. "It looks like you're defenseless, and my minds been made up!"

The black light of the crystal intensified as its energy seemed to focus on Seto. Vincent brought the crystal just inches away from Seto's face. Seto strained to close his eyes but he was spellbound by the crystal and couldn't look away. He could feel it's insane power sucking the life right from him. Seto's breathing became rigid and strenuous, his face started to sink in, almost revealing bone, his hair turned brittle and gray, and his dazzling, bright blue eyes began to turn gray and lifeless. He was expiring slowly and grotesquely, but the final blow of the crystal's marvelous power was felt when he exhaled and a wisp of stunning white light escaped his being through his wide-open mouth. Seto saw it, but only for a moment, the brilliant light before him was his very soul. The light emitting from it had brightened up the entire room. Seto had only enough time to comprehend the fact that he was almost separated from his body before he fell limply to the floor.

The light of Seto's soul was soon met with another brilliant white light. The new light flashed and scattered the remnants of the black crystals power. The shadowy figures released their grasp on Seto and screeched as the new white light penetrated through them. Vincent's black crystal's glow failed in comparison to this new light.

The new light guided the ray of Seto's soul back into his being with one large inhale from Seto. Vincent was too late. His crystal did not finish the job of destroying the Moon King quick enough. Seto continued to lay on the unclean floor, brittle and unconscious. Vincent reached down to pick up the CEO, but was abruptly tossed backwards by an unseen force. As Vincent recovered he saw a sight that made him scorn in rage.

Sailor Moon stood over him, hands on her hips, glaring down at him. Her white wings sparkled, and her uniform was pristine. She did not look like the lifeless girl that he had held up just moments ago. Sailor Moon was strong, healthy, and ready to take him out, but he wouldn't let that happen.

"Seto! Seto!" Rei ran over to his motionless form. She shook him vigorously a few times before his dim gray eyes peaked through his opening eyelids. "Seto, can you hear me?"

His voice was old, drained, and raspy, "R-Rei?"

"Are you alright?" She asked with great concern.

"B-been better…."

"I'll help you up," Rei stated, hoisting up his frail, boney body. Seto was still in fragile shape. His hair was delicate and gray along with his gloomy eyes. His face was deathly sunken in, and the young man couldn't stand without Rei's assistance due to his life-extracted form. Rei thought he looked worse than a Holocaust victim.

Seto grunted and moaned in pain. Vincent really had done a number on him, and he wondered if he had much time left, if his brittle shape might actually kill him soon.

"We've got to get you to your sword, come on!" Rei exclaimed as she assisted him across the room to where his sword was.

Seto stopped walking. "Wait a second!" He glanced over his shoulder to the beautiful woman who was towering over Vincent. Her wings were like that of angels. He recognized her all right. It was Sailor Moon in her eternal form, but not only that, it was Serena.

"We don't have a second to spare, Seto!"

He ignored her, "Serena's Sailor Moon…. I should've known from the beginning."

"Yes," Rei began, "but now is not the time. Let's go!" They continued traveling across the room at the fastest pace Seto could go.

* * *

><p>Sailor Moon stood over Vincent, who was cowering down on the floor. She was determined to take him down. Justice needed to be served, but this time, she'd be the one doing the serving.<p>

"Sailor Moon, what a pleasant surprise. You know, I really thought I'd seen that last of you." Vincent evoked. "It's a painful pity to see your face again."

"Shut it! Your game is over, Vincent. You'll finally get what you deserve!" She lunged her staff out in front of her, pointing it at Vincent.

He laughed wickedly, "Don't be a fool! You and I both know our powers are comparable! You won't be able to destroy me!"

She gave him a sly smirk, "The power of the Silver Crystal has long been unmatched by many, including you. That's why you weren't able to destroy the Moon Kingdom when you had the chance, because the crystal was just too strong."

Vincent stood up leisurely, snickering maliciously as he did so. Sailor Moon sustained her glare, still holding her staff near him in a defensive approach. "Well, it's time to meet your first match!" With that, a beam of black light shot at Sailor Moon as she tumbled to the cold ground. She recovered quickly, aiming a pinkish-white light at his black ray. The dark and the light collided with ruthless force. Both powers were equally harmonized and neither let up.

The room shook and the walls began to crumble. From the other side of the room Seto and Rei struggled to keep their balance. With his unsteady shape, Seto toppled to the ground. Rei bent down and held him tightly to protect him from the collapsing walls and now ceiling. The two were about to make their way towards Serena, when Seto crawled forward, reached out and grabbed the sword.

He turned to Rei who was still sheltering his fragile form, "Come on, I've got another plan!" They crossed the room slowly and carefully, trying to avoid the falling pieces of the structure. The Silver Crystal and Vincent's black crystal colliding was just too much for the building to take. Rei and Seto had to admit that they felt the powers clashing and surging throughout the building, their bodies quivering with every mighty pulse of dark and light energy.

Sailor Moon and Vincent held their own against each other. Light verses dark, anger and hatred against justice and peace, a battle that had existed since the beginning of time with neither succeeding over the other. Serena knew that her light was stronger. She knew that she could break through the rough edges of darkness, but this time was just too difficult. Vincent was right; their crystals were a perfect match. Light and darkness had truly collided as equals.

From the corner of Vincent's eyes he saw two forms attempting to make their way towards him. He quickly flashed a few black beams of light their way. The beams hit the wall behind them as Sailor Mars had dove down whilst still shielding the Moon King. Stone had crumbled down near them and a few hit them, but with little success to Vincent, the two kept moving, relentless and determined.

Vincent struck once again, knocking the two to the ground with a collapsing stone from the foundation. Rei seemed to have taken the brunt force of the blow by protecting Seto. The two were motionless on the floor. Unbeknownst to Vincent, Sailor Moon had snatched the opportunity to assault with a brasher beam of light, while Vincent had attacked her friends. She struck Vincent into the shaking stonewall behind him. He howled out in distress as he rammed back-first into the foundation.

Serena ceased her attack and bolted over to where Seto and Rei were. Hastily removing the stone with shaky and nervous hands, Serena finally got to her friends. "Rei, Seto? Can you hear me?" Two moans assured her answer. She let out a small sigh of relief as she continued questioning them, "Are you two alright?" They nodded. A couple scrapes and visible bruises were all they got away with. Serena eyed Seto with sad eyes. Almost all of the life had been drained out of him. He _needed_ medical attention.

"Serena, Seto's the one who can stop Vincent," Rei said as she hoisted herself and Seto up, "Ahmose gave him the sword of The Moon's Highest Noble Knight. Apparently it has the power to defeat the black crystal."

"How do you know for sure?"

Rei shrugged, "I don't."

"It's worth a try. Where's Ahmose?"

Rei and Seto both gave each other a knowing glance. Seto was the one to speak, "He's dead. He killed himself."

Shock sprang to life on the features of Serena's face as she gasped and covered her mouth with a white-gloved hand.

Rei knew the tears were about to come so she quickly spoke, "Look, Serena, we don't have much time, this building's about to cave in on top of us, and Seto's dying! If you don't want to lose another person then we need to hurry up and get rid of that black crystal!"

Serena inhaled intensely, holding back her tears. Her face hardened as she spoke, "Alright," she held out her hand, "hand me the sword."

Rei shook her head, "This is where it gets tricky. You see, _you_ can't use the sword, Ahmose gave it to Seto, _he's_ the only one that can successfully use it."

"What? You've gotta be kidding me!? How are we supposed to get Seto in a position to successfully use it!?"

"That's what we were trying to figure out."

"_Damn_," Serena cursed under her breath.

"Serena," Seto spoke sluggishly and raspingly, "you have to distract Vincent for me. I promise you I can lung the sword straight through that crystal if you just give me enough time."

Great sympathy struck Serena as she took in his horrid condition. Seto was on his last leg, and he was absolutely right, if Serena could distract Vincent Seto could finish the deed. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough time for that. The building was about to fall and Seto was about to die. He didn't need to fight. He couldn't! He just _couldn't_! "No, I can't let you do this, Seto. I'll find a way to defeat that bastard myself and-"

"Serena, _listen_!" His voice was in such a poor condition, "This is the only way. You and I both know that. I know you're trying to look out for me, but I promise you I can do this. I just…. Need you…. I need your help…." Seto Kaiba had never asked for anyone's help before ever in his life. It was something he had always refused to do, even in death. But, here he was, looking death straight in the eye, knowing that all he wanted to do was save Serena. She was his only priority at this point, and to do that Vincent _must_ be stopped.

Serena was hesitant to respond. She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to lose Seto in this fight. Something inside of her knew that they couldn't separate. They were meant to be together. Their bond felt like it lasted lifetimes even though they only knew each other for a short amount of time. Seto was part of her life now. Was she going to so easily give him up? Risk his life on something so trivial?

Yet, Seto did make her an important promise. Seto needed her to trust him. He needed her, and she needed him too. If she refused his trust, his _promise_, then she was refusing everything, maybe even their chances for survival. That was a risk she didn't want to take. If anything, she wanted to get Seto out _alive_.

"O-o-okay…." She stuttered, nodding her head slightly. It took her a moment but the confidence reclaimed itself within her voice, "I trust you."

"Good," Seto smiled genuinely. His face may have been old and ruined, but his rare smile stayed the same, and this was something that Serena was grateful for.

She smiled back, "Let's do this."

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you all enjoyed that. Next chapter will hopefully draw everything together. Thanks for reading! Please review, it means so much hearing from you guys! I appreciate every single one of you, so THANK YOU! Until next time! **


	23. Tears

**A/N: Holy cow! It's been way too long and I am so sorry! This chapter is longer. Lets hope it makes up for all of the other chapters that have been shorter recently and the long gap between updates. Well, we shall see. Please enjoy! **

**I DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 23- Tears<p>

He rose on shaking legs, smirking with his vile, serpent-like eyes. The harsh damage couldn't keep Vincent down. He would not give up on his final piece of his long and drawn-out plan. Nothing was going to bring him to his knees, especially not Sailor Moon. Today was the day Vincent would take down the Moon Princess.

As he peered across the room he saw Sailor Moon and her pathetic friends behind her. She looked ready to take him down. Vincent was equally as ready to grotesquely rip her to smithereens, until there would be no evidence that the Moon Princess had ever existed….

Serena inhaled deeply, looking her enemy straight in his black eyes. She was ready. Now was the time. She had agreed to face Vincent with as much power as she could muster. She needed to bring him to a position of defeat so Seto could easily use the sword to take him out. Knowing it would be a difficult task; she swallowed hard and raised her chin up a little higher, emitting an aura of confidence and grace. She wanted Vincent to know that he was indeed going down.

"This is it Vincent. Your reign of terror and torture has gone on for long enough. I will bring peace and justice back into this world like I am supposed to." Serena's voice was wondrously calm even though she was shaking inside. She wasn't nervous for her own being; she was worried for Seto's. She was praying that nothing would happen to him. All she wanted to do was to get this over with and she had to do that soon, the building felt like it was really ready to fall.

"As I've mentioned before, I'm not in this because of my own selfish goals. I'm in this because I was _chosen_! I must take control and do what is right, even if that means killing you…. _slowly_…."

Vincent's tongue made a slithering noise as he spoke, but Serena didn't let it bother her. She had to face this. "Fine. Believe what you will, but truth and justice will always win in the end."

He smirked, "We'll see about that when I have you begging for mercy!"

Serena's face stayed stone cold as she prepared herself for a counter attack against Vincent. Beings, good and evil, light and dark, arranged to clash once again. This time, Serena had so much more to fight for.

The light and darkness collided into each other with earthshattering force. The already rickety building moved violently as the bricks from the walls and ceiling began to fall move viciously.

Rei dragged Seto as far as she could until a chunk of the wall crumbled on top of her. She screamed out alarm. Pain shot through her midsection as she attempted to gasp for air. Her breathing was rugged and she realized she must have a punctured lung or broken ribs.

Seto had fallen to the floor from Rei's fall. Thankfully, nothing had toppled onto him. He crawled to where Rei was and tried to remove the large bricks. All muscle mass was gone. His attempts were futile.

"Urghh! Just go!" Rei shouted when she saw Seto failing. "I'll be alright! You have to go!"

"I can't leave you here," His reply was croaky, "what if you get crushed?"

"What if _**you **_get crushed?" Rei countered, "You need to move! NOW!"

Seto gave her one last look of concern and crawled towards Vincent, trying to avoid the falling structure as he went. The journey was hard and long, the path, _treacherous_. Yet, Seto knew that the pain and the determination would make all the difference once he killed Vincent. Even though a great part of him knew that killing Vincent would probably be the death of him, at least it wasn't the death of Serena, and that's all that mattered.

_Rini_.

The little girl claiming to be his daughter from the future. Her bright eyes, pink hair, and vibrant smile made him rethink everything. If he died today, would Rini not exist in the future? Could Rini be wrong about him being her father? Clearly she had been wrong about Darien, so could she make the same mistake with him? It was quite possible, but part of him didn't want that to be true. Part of Seto wanted to be Rini's father. Part of him still wanted her to exist. If he died today, and what Rini was saying was really true, then she'd disappear because _he_ wasn't here. Seto didn't want to take that risk. He wanted Rini to be right. He wanted her to survive. The only way she'd survive is if he survived.

He crawled on, faster, harder, breathing heavily. Rini clung to his mind and with each pathetic inch forward, he was closer to reaching his goal, and that's all that really mattered. Even though the pain grew worse, the journey didn't seem so rough with Rini on his mind. Rini pushed him on and on, further and further until finally….

* * *

><p>Equals, the Silver Crystal and his own. They were equals. The clash did not cease. The battle raged on with violent force. Vincent knew that the only way either would give up is if a large enough brick fell on them from the ceiling. Even then, Vincent didn't know if that would stop either of them. It sure as hell wouldn't stop him. Not even for a second did Vincent retract his beam of black light, and not for a moment would he.<p>

Something had, however, crossed his mind as he saw the pathetic creature by his feet. The thing was frail and wounded, body ready for death due to Vincent's own doing. Although he knew that Seto Kaiba was dying, he knew his spirit was not. Kaiba was determined and ready to take him down, even if he was crawling on his bony hands and knees. Vincent smirked as he thought of a brilliant ploy.

Seto had grasped ahold of Vincent's ankle as the dimmed and dying, gray-blue eyes glared up into Vincent's powerful, bleak, black ones. Vincent snuck a peak at the sword in Seto's hand and chuckled. There was no way the feeble and pitiful looking Seto Kaiba could ever even get a clear aim at him. If Kaiba expected he was going to use that sword successfully, then he was broadly mistaken.

Vincent ripped his ankle out of Seto's light clutch and pounded Seto square in the face with his foot. The dying young man rolled backward, holding onto his face, withering and wailing in pain.

Vincent laughed hysterically, "Look at you now! Oh, how the mighty Seto Kaiba has fallen! I'm sure you're aware of your past as the pharaoh of Egypt. That kingdom eventually flopped too. Now, as the Moon King, you will fall once again, and I will finally claim my rightful place as the ruler of this universe! I will take back everything that belongs to me!" His laughter thundered throughout the room, drowning out all other sounds. Serena tried shouting at Seto, but her voice did not carry far, as Vincent's laughter consumed it.

Seto made his way back up on all fours and drudged toward Vincent. Vincent observed his attempts from the corner of his evil, black eyes. "You'll stop at nothing!" He laughed thunderously once again, "I admire your bravery, but no matter, you shall be stopped!" Focusing with all his might, Vincent was able to keep his dark beam strong and steady against Serena's beam of light by using only one hand. With his opposite hand, he thrust his arm out to grab ahold of Seto's neck. He picked the CEO up off the ground with ease and raised him up in the air. From a distance, Serena's panicked gasps could be heard, but her beam of light stayed steady as life began to drain from Seto once again. This time, it was short, because this time, there was hardly any life to drain.

Vincent applied great pressure upon Seto's neck. He could feel his throat caving in as he gobbled up useless air. Blood dribbled down the corners of his mouth, falling down upon his dirty white trench coat. Tears welled up in his strained, almost lifeless gray blue hues. The tears fell for the first time in a long time. They didn't show up because of the mourning of his own death, but that his own death meant the non-existence of his own daughter. That was something he didn't want taken. That was something he _never _wanted taken, especially not from Serena, who had already had too much taken from her.

He could feel the sun quickly setting on his life. This was it. His life being drained felt like that of a sped up clock. One last tear fell to the cold ground as he slowly let go and shut his eyes.

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><p>Death wasn't like anything he'd expected. It wasn't a beautiful experience. His body felt numb and cold. There was a tinge of pain, but nothing too extreme. He felt his lungs open up and breathe in almost a toxic wave of air. The oxygen felt dusty as it was sucked in through his airways. The need for water consumed him. He coughed. Blood. Blood escaped is mouth. It slid down the corners of his mouth, dripping onto the dusty, cold pavement. <em>Cold<em>. That's what he felt. He felt cold, like he was covered in a blanket of fresh snow. It wasn't pleasant, but it also wasn't the worst thing he'd ever felt. He tried opening his eyes. His vision was completely distorted. Every dim fragment of light seemed fuzzy and muddled, like he was trying to see through a black and white kaleidoscope. Death just didn't feel right. It didn't seem right. Was he in hell?

_No_.

No, he couldn't be in hell, not if she was here. He heard her, felt her graceful fingers upon his fragile shoulder. Opening up his damaged, blurred eyes, he saw her. She was alive and beautiful, as usual. He broke a small, painful smile. She smiled back gratefully. Was it at all possible that this could be heaven? He would believe that. She belonged in heaven. Heck, she _was_ heaven. However, he didn't believe this to be heaven for two reasons. One, he felt the sinful sting of deaths painful grip. Two, if this was heaven, then that would mean that _he_ was there, and there was no possible way _Seto Kaiba_ was in heaven.

"Seto, can you hear me? Seto?"

Her voice sounded far away, even though she was right above him, looking down upon his dead body. Was this just a sliver of his imagination? Could he really just be in hell, imaging another, beautiful place such as heaven? Could he just be envisioning her? Maybe _this_ was part of his torture. If this really was his torture, then he really couldn't decide if hell was cruel or not….

"Seto, _please_! You need to wake up!"

Her voice sounded like it was moving in closer, almost like he was coming back to life. But how could that be? He was dead. This was hell. He couldn't just wake up, could he? The dead don't come back to life, or do they?

"Seto, you need to wake up _**NOW**_!"

This time her voice was fully there, vibrating his eardrums with her piercing shout. He snapped his eyes open, taking in his blurred vision. Everything took a minute to focus, but when it did, his eyes settled on one thing, and one thing only.

"Serena," he spoke with a low, gravelly tone. His throat hurt, but he could care less. He was speaking her name and that's all that mattered.

"You're alive! Thank God!" The look of relief and thankfulness was enough for Seto to realize he had survived Vincent's fatal attack.

"Where's Vincent?" He asked, a bit of panic and worry was noted in his voice. If it weren't for Serena's life, he wouldn't be so concerned about him.

Serena gently lifted Seto up into a sitting position. He groaned and moaned, but his body was still numb enough to dull the majority of his pain. She pointed to a body lying on the ground a few yards away. There was a hefty pile of bricks and concrete skewed about near him. Seto looked towards Serena with confusion written upon his face.

"I was able to knock him over right before he was about to drain the rest of your life. Once he hit the ground, the ceiling above him fell down on him. I'm not sure if he's alive or knocked out, but we need to get our hands on that black crystal and destroy it for good." She lifted him to his feet despite his bellowing whimpers and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Come on, let's use that sword to end this." Seto nodded and they began limping towards the lifeless body that was just a few yards away.

Of course, the journey was difficult for Seto, as it had been, but Serena tried her best to keep him moving quickly and to keep him in the least amount of pain possible. Falling ceiling and crumbling walls didn't help the voyage, as the two had to dodge countless bits of the unsteady structure to prevent themselves from the same fate as Vincent.

"We're almost there Seto, just a little bit more, you can do it." She had heard his huffs and moans as they travelled. She knew he was in severe pain. They needed to get him out of there and into a hospital as soon as possible. But this wasn't over. Serena needed him to destroy that black crystal using Ahmose's sword. She glanced down at Seto's other hand that weakly gripped the sword, letting the tip drag upon the dusty, dirty floor. Once Seto struck that crystal it was all over. She looked into his tired, drained, and dying eyes. She felt the extreme urge to save him, knowing that she didn't _just _need him for the power of the sword, but for the rest of her life.

They enduringly made their way across the floor and crouched over Vincent. He was unmoving and it looked as though he wasn't breathing. The black crystal was lying in the middle of the palm of one of his hands. His fist was not clenched. Serena could just reach out and grab it.

With slight hesitation, Serena extended her gloved arm to grab the crystal. Her hands trembled somewhat, but she eventually increased her confidence, lightly grazing her fingertips on Vincent's and touching the black crystal.

Black eyes protruded open and manic laughter busted through the intensity of the room. Both Seto and Serena jumped back in shock.

Serena screamed as Vincent's hand seized her wrist in a death grip. She tried pulling away, but his clasp was so tight she thought she might lose her hand.

The laughter continued, filling the room with an evil shrill. However, it was short-lived and soon replaced with the sounds of screaming agony. Serena's scream joined in on Vincent's, but hers was of shock, not of pain.

She was now able to pull her hand away, but not without gaining another. She wailed in terror at the sight. Vincent's hand that had gripped her wrist was still hanging onto her wrist, blood pouring out of the detached limb. She cried out as she forced the separated hand's fingers from her wrist, each finger cracking as it broke free. The sight was horrific and insane. Serena quickly grabbed the black crystal that had been in the palm of that hand, and chucked the disjoined thing as far as she could throw it across the room.

Vincent grabbed the nub where his hand used to be and continued to wail.

Serena looked over to Seto who was gasping for air. He looked exhausted. What could he have done to make him so tired out?

Then she saw it. The sword, covered in blood. She had missed it as it all played out, but Seto had been the one to cut off Vincent's hand. It had just happened too fast for her.

"Seto!" She shouted at him. He looked up at her with heavy eyes while he wheezed. She thrust out the black crystal and set it on the floor in front of him. Moving his way, she placed his hands on the sword, forcing him to grip it. She never let go of his hands, resting hers on top of his.

"I-I c-can't d-do this," he coughed out, "I'm too weak. I'm dying."

Serena looked him sternly in the eye. Her confidence shining through, making Seto feel vaguely more secure. "You can do this. _We_ can do this. I'm with you. We'll do this together!"

Seto stared back into her ocean blue eyes. They were secure and strong, not like anything he'd seen before in Serena. She was truly stronger than him and for sure braver. Seto knew what he had to do, and with Serena he could do it. He gave her a nod of reassurance, and they picked up the sword together, gripping it tightly and confidently.

"NO!" Vincent roared as he struggled to make a jump for the black crystal, but he was too late. The sword was sung; it's blade slicing through the middle of the evil crystal. The metal blade reverberated against the cold, hard ground, and the crystal shattered into bits of black dust that rose into the air and dissolved.

Vincent screeched as he began to shrivel up like an old man, in the same way Seto had. He held his head as he cried out, torment taking over him, the reality of his ending life settling in. His body dried-up and became crumbly as it eventually collapsed on him and he became a black pile of dust. The dust that was once the revolting man disbanded and vanished completely. There was now nothing left of the evil that was once Vincent.

Serena turned to Seto when she heard him inhale deeply. He could feel his lungs expanding, his bones rejuvenating. He no longer felt the urge to cough or wheeze like an old man. His throat opened up, no longer condensed and throbbing from Vincent's chokehold. His skin molded into perfection, there were no more wrinkles or frailty. His brittle, gray hair renewed itself, replacing the old locks with luscious new ones and bringing the color back to normal. His face was no longer skeletal, but strong, fierce, and beautiful. The last things to turn back to normal were his eyes. The brilliant, frozen blue spheres swirled with their natural color, revitalizing life within Seto Kaiba.

Serena gasped and smiled broadly as she took in the view of Seto. He looked wonderful. He was back to normal. He was _magnificent_! She ran over to him and jumped into his arms, "We did it! We did it!"

Seto smiled, grateful that Serena was in his arms, and happy that he was not dying. "The black crystal must've kept Vincent alive by absorbing the lives of others. That's why I'm back to normal now after _**we**_ destroyed it."

Serena grinned at his mention of 'we.' She knew it took a lot for Seto Kaiba to admit when he needed someone, and she was sure that he needed her. She for sure needed him!

A shout from across the room captured their attention.

"You guys! We've gotta get out of here now!" Rei was leaning with her back against the unsteady wall. She gripped her midsection as she breathed. Serena could tell her breathing was labored.

"REI!" She shouted. Both her and Seto ran towards her as the building began to shake all around them. "Are you hurt, Rei?"

"I think some of my ribs might be broken," she replied, "but don't worry about me right now, we have to leave, this building is going to collapse."

"She right, Serena," Seto said, he scooped up Rei in his arms. She winced at the pain, but he was gentle. "We've gotta go."

"Wait!" Serena grasped Seto's sleeve, "What about Ahmose?"

"He's dead," Rei said flatly.

"B-but his body!?" She pleaded.

Seto ripped her grip off of his arm and began jogging towards the exit. "We need to go, Serena!" Serena didn't hesitate to follow, but part of her looked disappointed. Ahmose was her best friend for so long, he understood why she'd want to see him. Yet again, Seto couldn't understand. Ahmose had killed her boyfriend. It just didn't make sense. Maybe it was one of those things that he'd never understand.

The three of them made their way towards the exit, rushing along as quickly as they could. Shaking, and the disintegrating of the building slowed them down a little, but they were still able to make it to the ground floor. There was a door just ahead. Seto was sure it led to the outside. He dashed towards it, kicking it open and revealing the bright streams of afternoon sunlight. He was shocked at the commotion he saw waiting outside for them.

Almost a dozen squad cars and police officers were on guard. They had their guns pointed at him as they tried to shield as much as they could of themselves behind their vehicles. Kaiba felt frozen. He didn't know what to do. He heard an officer yell at him to put his hands up, but they were a little preoccupied at the moment.

Rei whispered to Seto, "What the hell's going on?"

He didn't reply. He just stood there in shock and confusion.

"SETO!" He heard the shout of his little brother. "PUT YOUR WEAPONS AWAY! HE'S THE ONE WE'RE LOOKING FOR!" The officers obeyed the young Kaiba's commands.

Mokuba Kaiba sprinted towards his older brother, "Seto, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Mokuba. What's going on?"

"I'll tell you later," he looked over at Rei, "Are you hurt?"

She shrugged, "I'm not sure."

Mokuba turned around and yelled at the officers, "GET A MEDIC!"

The three of them made their way over towards the safety of the police officers. A medical technician appeared and bundled up Rei from Seto's arms and brought her to a nearby ambulance.

Yugi, Joey, Mai, and Rini jogged up to the Kaiba brother's side and gathered around.

"Seto, where's Serena?" Mokuba asked.

The young CEO swiveled his head around, looking in every direction. Anxiety welled up within him as he realized the unthinkable. _Serena didn't follow him outside_.

"She's still in there!" He panicked, running his hands frantically through his hair. Light traces of tears began to form in his eyes. Serena was still inside! She was still inside that collapsing building! He was so close, _so close_ to saving her.

"Who's still in there, daddy?"

Seto looked down at Rini in complete distress. Rini's facial expression changed as she saw the terror in her father's eyes. In that moment she knew. They both knew. They had just spoken without words.

The great and strong Seto Kaiba looked at the gang _helplessly_. Nothing felt worse than this moment, knowing that he couldn't save the one person he so desperately wanted to.

Everyone saw it, everyone who was standing around Seto Kaiba at least. They saw it and felt the pain. They saw it and knew that the situation was bad. Seto Kaiba didn't normally cry. He actually never cried, especially not in front of Yugi and his friends. Today was different. This moment was different. Vulnerable and upset Rini broke him down. The look in her eye, and the knowing that Seto had about her existence if something went wrong. By his failure to save Serena, he failed to save his only daughter.

Seto Kaiba began to cry.

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><p><strong>AN: Wow! That took me forever to write! I hope you enjoyed it! Just when you thought the suspense and cliffhangers would be over, haha, sorry! Hopefully the length of this chapter makes up for the last few chapters that have been slightly shorter. The end is near! Thank you so much for reading thus far! Please, please, PLEASE review! Until next time! **


	24. Forever

**A/N: I know I threw you guys a fast one last time, but DON'T WORRY! THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER! No more cliffhangers after this! I told you guys I'd end this soon, so here we are. Just a warning, this chapter is much longer than all of the others, but I figured it was the last one, so I'd have to fit it all in. It'd be pointless to put in another chapter. Anyway, please enjoy, but after you eat up this chapter, please read my authors note at the bottom and drop a review for me if you will. I have a few questions for all of you. Thanks again for being such wonderful and loyal readers since 2011! I love you all and I thank you for taking this journey with me and giving me support along the way. Enough ranting! On with the story!**

**I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON OR YU-GI-OH!**

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><p>Chapter 24- Forever<p>

The air felt raw and sharp against his heavy lungs as he hyperventilated. The world spun recklessly as he tried to focus. He couldn't. Nothing was right. She was trapped in that building. There was no way he'd be able to get her out.

_Serena_.

Her name alone sent his head spinning. The thought of Rini not existing, the thought of Serena not being with him, it all just made him feel insane. He'd never felt such a strong connection to a person other than Mokuba, but Serena was just different, and then you add his own flesh and blood into the mix and things got even deeper. This couldn't be happening. Serena _had_ to get out of there!

"Kaiba! Listen!" Yugi grasped his shaking forearm. The firm grasp of the smaller man withheld Seto's shakes. From his tear-filled eyes, Seto gazed down at Yugi, shocked by his brunt action.

"Kaiba, are you listening?"

The brunette nodded. A few stray teardrops rushed down his cheeks.

"You need to calm down, okay?" Yugi's voice suddenly became smoother. "Look, I've never seen you like this before, Kaiba, and that's when I know things are serious." A long pause drew in all of the listeners. Yugi's voice began to form a strong edge to it, one filled with determination and confidence. "That's why we need two people to go in and rescue Serena, so lets go!" Yugi snatched Kaiba's arm and began dragging him towards the unsteady building.

"Yugi! Wait!" Joey shouted. Yugi continued walking, not even turning to look at his best friend. Joey jogged over to him and then walked fast to keep pace. "Yugi, no offence buddy, but this task is too dangerous for someone of your size."

Yugi shrugged off that fact and replied, "Well, someone's gotta rescue Serena, and I know for a fact none of you thought about doing so." The group looked a bit unstable by Yugi's comment, especially Mai and Joey. It was the truth and they _knew_ it.

Joey didn't respond. His best friend was right. _He_ sure as hell wasn't going to volunteer to go into that building, nonetheless volunteer to head in there with _Kaiba_! Yet, Joey cared about Serena. She was sweet, and defiantly too kind to die. He wasn't going to let a person die if it could've been prevented somehow. Joey gave Yugi an unyielding look when they stopped walking. Yugi gave Joey a serious and unwavering look. The blonde spoke, "What do we need to do?"

"Distract the police while Kaiba and I sneak inside."

Rini began screaming at the top of her lungs, a scream so terrifying that it sent a stunning shiver down ever person's spine. The group looked frightened, but so did the cops. Mai scurried to her side and asked what was wrong, but Rini gave them a giant wink, and that's when they knew. A hoard of policemen and paramedics rushed towards the screaming, pink-haired child.

Yugi tugged on Kaiba's arm, "Let's go!" Kaiba wiggled out of Yugi's grip, and the two sprinted into the shaking building unnoticed by the authorities.

* * *

><p>This time the atmosphere of the building was different. He had a bad vibe about the place now, like he somehow developed raging animal instincts. Apart from the constant vibrating and falling debris, nothing visibly seemed to have changed; yet Kaiba knew that something bad was going to happen if they didn't find Serena soon. It was almost like he was an alarmed animal that could sense an earthquake before it happened. He was sensing something bad all right. All the more reason to rush towards Serena…. Wherever the heck she was.<p>

"She was following Rei and I out of the building…. I just don't understand why she didn't leave with us?" Kaiba mumbled. He spoke more to himself than to Yugi, but Yugi could hear him, and he responded, pushing into Kaiba's thought process.

"Do you think something fell on her?"

Kaiba shook his head, "No, I would've heard her scream, and I had my eyes glued to her practically the whole time. It was that one moment when we were just getting out where I wasn't looking. I assume she wandered off…." Kaiba trailed off, spacing out into his own thoughts, his own realizations. The words that Serena had spoken right before the three of them fled were about….

"Follow me!" Kaiba shouted as he dashed towards a doorway. Yugi surprisingly kept up with Kaiba's pace as they made their way through the rough building. Like before, they dodged the falling concrete and wood. This time they were more agile considering Kaiba didn't have to carry someone. Plus, the two were more focused, more determined than ever before. They had one goal and they were going to stick to it no matter what.

Kaiba spun around a jagged corner and into an even worse looking hallway with the support beams of the building caving inward. There was a doorway at the end of the hallway that Kaiba knew held Serena. The beams cracked and crunched as the roof began to skid downward, ready to collapse. Kaiba was too tall to walk through the hall normally, so he crouched and dove towards the door at the end of the hallway. Reaching it, he flung it open.

"Kaiba!" Yugi hollered from the other end of the hall. Kaiba could barely see his face as the roof came tumbling down. The foundation cracked, screeched and finally collapsed into bumpy bits of rumble.

* * *

><p>The dark seemed to fade into even more darkness. It didn't make sense, but Kaiba finally realized that the new darkness that had just appeared seemed to be a bit toned down, like it was dustier. He inhaled and coughed immediately afterward. He was right about the dust, it was everywhere. The dust seemed to clog his airways as he continued coughing. In the distance he heard his own echo. An echo seemed unusual for a collapsed building. The echo seemed even stranger as the noise and time didn't match his coughs. He panted once again, only to violently cough, but when he finally caught his breath, he was able to shout, "Yugi!" More coughs. "Yugi, is that y-you!?" Another coughing fit. "Yugi!" The coughs succeeded in taking him over once again, but his attempts at speaking didn't go unnoticed.<p>

A small voice spoke back to him, "Seto?" She coughed. "Seto, is that you?"

"SEREN-Ahhblahhh!" He hacked on the poisonous air. "WHERE," he could hardly get his sentence out. The dust reentered his lungs and filled them with asbestos or some other harmful substance found on a debris site. He choked and wheezed but was able to finish off his sentence, "ARE YOU?"

It took Serena a long time to recover from the toxic air, but she was able to answer him, "I'm over here!"

With much effort, and barking broken bones and bruises, Seto Kaiba was able to rise from the dust, dirt and ashes to kneel over endless piles of rubble. From what looked like a mile away, Seto saw an exceptionally dusty white-gloved arm reaching over a tall heap of concrete and brick, waving back and fourth, ready to be noticed.

"DON'T MOVE SERENA! I SEE YOU!" He aggressively expelled air once again, a bit of blood seeped from his lips and he wiped it off with the back of his hand. He examined his hand for a moment after wiping the blood off. His hand was completely covered in a gross, thick layer of dust. He observed himself for a second and noted that his whole body was varnished in the substance. He shook his head in disgust, and then yelled, "I'M COMING!"

Like a bat out of hell, Seto climbed. He climbed over everything he could to get to Serena. He just needed to make sure she was safe. Jagged pieces of metal cut him along the way, but he barely grimaced at the pain. His mind was too focused on her. Moving faster and climbing against the will of his protesting broken bones and bruises, Seto placed his foot sloppily on an unsteady piece of concrete and fell in between multiple chunks of brick and wall. He cried out louder than ever before as his body hit the ground. A sharp metal pole pierced through his skin and muscle near his shoulder. Tears dashed down his dusted face, creating clear lines staining the sides of his cheeks. The wind was knocked out of him, and even when the coughing persisted, Seto couldn't seem to catch his breath. Serena was shouting at him but her words just didn't comprehend.

With what little strength he had left, he hoisted himself up on a solid stack of remains. Swallowing hard and trying to take in as many deep breaths as he could without suffering from another coughing fit, Seto securely clasped the metal pole that had established its new home within his muscle tissue and skin. The pole was larger than Seto expected, about two inches wide, making Seto aware of the painful journey ahead of him in the next couple seconds.

Gasping and gulping loudly, Seto took his final breath and held it in. With all of his might, Seto yanked the pole right out of his raw wound. It took what felt like ages for the item to be wrenched out. Seto cried out at the top of his lungs as the tears began to rain down. He wailed in the pain, the aftermath of it all. Blood poured from his injury and from his lips as he began vomiting blood. He must've had some sort of internal bleeding. The vomiting continued, probably induced by the pain and whatever internal lesion he might have. When Seto finally stopped retching, he streaked the blood away and completed his way over the ruins.

"Seto!" Serena cried when she finally saw him. Seto looked over her from a bulky load of wreckage. The area around her was surprisingly clear of remains. Maybe she had cleared it away. Her body was covered in the dense dust, and her Sailor Moon costume was hardly recognizable, apart from the wings she bore, however, those were covered in filth as well. There were a few scratches that were bleeding, but nothing too severe. Seto was thankful for that. Serena had gotten lucky, but then so did he….

Even though Serena and Seto had managed to escape with their lives, one was not so lucky. Seto saw him, embraced in Serena's arms, Ahmose's body. It too was concealed in heavy filth. Seto knew that Ahmose's body was the reason Serena turned back. She just had to retrieve his body.

Seto gazed into her blue eyes, the only thing that appeared to have any color at the moment. He noticed that she had been crying, possibly mourning over the loss of her 'best friend.' Seto could never understand it, how Serena cared so much about people, it was one of her defining qualities that set her apart from the rest of humanity. Ahmose had murdered her boyfriend, the one that Serena was certain she'd be marrying, yet Serena had such compassion and concern for Ahmose, even after he'd past. She risked her life to salvage his body. All he ever did, in Seto's eyes, was betray her as her best friend. He had destroyed everything she'd ever loved, and now here she was, going after him even after his death. It was a concept Seto couldn't understand about her. Was it foolish? Absolutely. To gamble your own life for a _dead body_, yes, _very_ foolish. Serena took the chance anyway, out of love and sympathy, but most of all, out of _forgiveness_.

Forgiveness. The word, the notion, and even the plain idea of it, Seto never understood. He didn't know_ how_ to understand it. It was like Greek to him. People forgave others after they'd done something corrupt towards them. It was bizarre and not factual in Seto's mind. If someone deceived him, then that was it, game over. Seto would erase every fabric of his or her being from his life, or, seek revenge. But revenge was something that didn't exist within Serena. Revenge to her was like forgiveness to him.

In that moment, Seto wished he were more like Serena. He wished he could be the way she was. That's why he loved her so deeply. She was practically perfect, and he was an emotionally, and physically damaged monster. Serena's light had saved him, and that's when he knew he had to keep her. He had to be with her forever.

"Seto?" She cocked her head to the side, worry upon her beautiful, dusted face. "Are you alright? Your wound looks horrendous!"

Her sentence broke his musings and he gifted her with one of his rare, genuine smiles. The pain in his body struck deep, but he managed to give her the full show, sparkling white teeth and all. She returned his gift gratefully.

"I'm okay, Serena. Just a little scratch."

She laughed, "Your sarcasm never fails to amuse me."

He smirked, "The real question is are _you_ okay?"

"Yeah," She nodded.

"Hang on, I'll make my way down." Carefully scaling down the huge hoard of junk, Seto landed on the dusty, cold ground. He strode over to Serena and grabbed the sides of her face with his strong, urgent hands. The two locked eyes for a while, mixing the blue pigments.

"Serena!" He shouted. His voice cracked and was bursting with care and concern. He looked like he was about to cry. "How could _you_? You're so stupid, Serena! You're so _stupid_!"

She grinned knowingly; tears welled up in her eyes. She let out a coarse giggle mixed with a sob.

"You endangered your life for him! _He's dead_! What were you thinking!?"

Serena shook her head as best she could between Seto's sturdy grasp. "I wasn't!"

Seto let out a small huff that sounded more like a half-laugh. "At least you're honest! But you're so stupid! You're so stupid!"

"I know! I know!" The tears rained down from their blue eyes, washing away some dust. They lightly laughed and cried together. In all honestly, they were just happy to be alive and together.

Through a wave of sobs, Serena uttered, "You came back for me." Her babble was heartfelt and appreciative.

Seto wasted no time in replying, "Of course I did, Serena, I love you!" It slipped out. There was nothing he could do but hope that she accepted it. It was the sincere truth after all. Seto barely revealed his true feelings for anyone. Serena was now an exception, and Seto felt like he needed to tell her, who knows what sort of danger might appear next in their senseless lives anyway. There was no better time than right now to tell her how he felt.

She wept. The tears coming down like hail. Her crying wasn't gloomy; it was more jubilant than anything, almost like a sigh of release or a breath of crisp autumn air. "Thank you, Seto! I love you too!"

It was surprising that this shocked Seto, but ultimately he _was_! She had said it back! She'd just told him she _loved_ him! Seto did the next logical thing he could think of. Pulling her in closer, but gently, he brushed her lips with his own. The dust, dried blood, and dirt didn't seem to get in the way too much. Serena tasted like the beautiful light she was, it was a flavor he couldn't quite describe. She moved in closer, taking in more of him and his taste. There was something enchanting and inexpressible about it all. Everything felt so right, and they both knew that it was.

In the distance they heard shouts and people calling their name. They ignored them of course, not caring if they found them anytime soon or not. The delightful ambiance of their kiss surrounding them was all that seemed to matter.

"Here they are!" Someone shouted. "I found them, over here!" Seto and Serena refused to break apart. Their kiss was more important.

Yugi ascended over a few masses of rubbish and peered over the side to view Seto and Serena. He smirked gleefully at the scene. He was glad they'd found each other, and he was happy he could help locate them. The police and rescue team moved over the broken building towards the couple. Even still, the two refused to break apart.

* * *

><p><em><strong>One Week Later….<strong>_

The ashes of Ahmose were scattered across the bay, flying into the distance to finally float away with the ocean. Serena had wept. The funeral was depressing, but nothing was worse than laying Darien into the deep ground the day before. She had placed a single red rose upon his casket, and watched as he descended into the ground forever. Both her and Rini had bawled, going through the raw motions. Seto had been there for moral support with Rini wrapped up in his arms for most of the time. The funerals stung, but Serena couldn't help but feel angry, knowing they were both connected. Both deaths happened because of the other, and _that's_ what stung the most. Two lives unnecessarily lost, now scraping through the edges and dimensions of eternity….

Serena wiped the tears from her eyes and picked Rini up into her arms. They stared out into the perfect cerulean ocean as the sun began to set. The dark blues and red hints created a glorious show as they peaked through the horizon line. The funeral service had concluded, and Serena hugged Rini tight, not wanting to let her go. The future Moon Princess was placed back down on the grassy cliff. When the crowd cleared the sun was hardly shining. A thin, reddish-orange line was all that was left of the setting daylight.

Serena kneeled down to Rini's level. A lone teardrop strayed from her eye as she cupped her daughters flushed cheek. "It's time for you to leave again, huh?"

Rini nodded, tears streaming down her face, "I won't be leaving forever. You'll see me again soon."

Serena let out a natural smile, even though it hurt to let yet another person she cared about go. "I know…." She reached out and embraced the young girl. They stayed like that for a while. Serena noticed that the sun was quickly fading. Rini had to leave now. "Be safe," she whispered into her daughter's ear, and then kissing her wet cheek, she said, "I love you."

"I love you too, mommy."

Seto witnessed the whole scene from behind Serena. He walked over to his daughter and squeezed her. He didn't want to let her go either. "I'm going to miss you."

"Me too!" Rini said, "I've gotta go now, daddy. I love you."

He broke the hug but kept Rini at arms length, gripping her shoulders. "I love you too, Rini." He smiled at her the same way he smiled at Mokuba.

Rini reached into her pocket and pulled out her Sailor Brooch. It was golden and heart shaped with little wings on the sides and pink splashed around in different places. She opened it up and it started to glow a soft, golden-white light, similar to the light of Serena.

"Goodbye," Rini's body began to fade away.

"Goodbye, Rini," her parents muttered in unison.

The young girl faded into the sunset. Before the sun completely descended on the horizon, a ray of light burst into the sky, letting Seto and Serena know that Rini had left them. The night swiftly fell upon them after that, and Seto guided Serena into his waiting black limo that was just a few paces away.

Serena got in slowly. She stared out the window, not even looking Seto's way.

The privacy divider rolled down and the driver spoke, "Mr. Kaiba, where would you like me to go, sir?"

Seto ignored him for a moment and reached out to touch Serena on the shoulder. She turned around and looked him in the eyes. Seto saw the fatigue and sadness in her eyes. It'd been a long couple of days that was for sure. Two funerals back to back and her daughter leaving her with very little time spent with her. Serena was boldly feeling it now, the aftermath of despair. She had a miserable next couple of weeks ahead of her. Losing loved ones was never easy. Seto had learned that years ago with the passing of his parents. He knew she needed a companion, someone who'd stay by her side and make her laugh when she needed it. Seto wasn't very good at making people laugh, but for Serena, he'd try.

"Would you like to come back to my mansion with me?"

The corners of her lips curved upward, she nodded and answered, "Absolutely."

"Very well then, take us back to the mansion, please."

"As you wish, Mr. Kaiba." The limo started up and they were off.

* * *

><p>The stars danced along the night sky. Brilliant shooting stars fell every which way, lighting up the blue in Serena's eyes. The autumn air rolled over her skin, making her shiver under her warm, black sweater. Some stray, colorful leaves skidded across the roof and into her hair. She picked them out carefully, then let them fly as the wind took hold once again.<p>

Serena was lying on her back and stargazing on top of the Kaiba Mansion roof. Apparently, there was a doorway that lead to a 'safer' spot on the roof where people could securely walk around. Serena called that bluff because she felt completely unsafe lying on the three-story tall roof, but Seto insisted she'd love it. Maybe he was just some weirdo who liked to attend funerals, because Serena felt like hers would be next.

She had been waiting outside all by herself for about ten minutes now. Seto had said he'd had a surprise for her and he'd be right back. She didn't know how much longer she'd be able to stay out here by herself. She was so afraid of falling, especially at this height.

The stars continued to dance. Serena couldn't help but think of all the beauty Seto was missing. Tonight was the autumn meteor shower. The news had been talking about it for the past couple days now, and Serena was actually excited for it. She'd been so busy planning the funerals, recovering from some minor injuries, talking to The Dean of Students at Domino University, and meeting up with her parents for the first time since their hospital visit that she was actually looking forward to this night of relaxing. Serena had originally planned to spend this night alone, back on campus, in the wide open field the campus had, with a pillow and blanket, just staring up at the sky. Seto decided to change all of that of course, but now she was doing exactly what she planned to do, just in a more dangerous location. Where was he anyway? He was really missing out!

In that instant, Seto opened up the nearby door to the roof and climbed on. He sat down close to Serena. "Sorry that took me so long. I had to… uh…. Finalize a couple of things." He explained. He tried not to look too suspicious, but ultimately, he totally was.

"What did you need to finalize?" She asked.

He smiled, "You'll see," he gently plucked her hand from its comfortable position, and opened up her palm. "Close your eyes."

"Are you serious? Are you _trying_ to kill me? I'm freaked out enough about this roof-thing with my eyes open!"

"I'm sure you've been on many roofs before as Sailor Moon."

"Yes, well, not any this tall, and certainly not for fun!"

He laughed, "Just close your eyes for a second. I'll tell you when to open them."

"You're going to take longer than a second!"

He smirked, "Okay, give me five seconds then. Can you close your eyes for five seconds, miss Sailor Moon, brave crime fighter extraordinaire!"

"Okay, okay!" She huffed, "I can do it! Just no longer than five seconds! After five seconds I'm opening my eyes!"

"That's fine. Five seconds is all I need." Seto gazed at her, giving her his infamous, sly snicker. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his surprise for Serena, and dropped it softly into her exposed palm. "Okay, you can open them."

Serena opened her eyes and saw a pair of car keys shining in her palm in the pale moonlight. "What is this?"

"It's the keys to your brand new Nissan Sentra."

Serena blinked in shock, eyes widening, "What!?"

"Since yours was demolished, and two little birdies told me you had _just _purchased your car all by yourself, I figured it was the least I could do for all of your hard work and suffering."

"Oh my God! Seto! You didn't have to do this!"

He brushed the side of her face lightly with the back of his hand, "Yes I did."

"I… don't know what… to say…." Serena was sincerely stunned. This was defiantly a surprise if there ever was one.

"You don't have to say anything. Just listen." Seto began explaining why it took him so long to come up here to join her. It was because he was sighing a few car insurance papers he'd forgotten about. He'd also told her that her schooling would be entirely paid for by KaibaCorp through a 'full-ride scholarship,' which sounded more like him just completely paying her way through college. Lastly, he'd said they'd both be returning to school next semester and that she was still roommates with Mai, but she was welcome to stay with him at the mansion until the new semester began. Everything sounded grand and wonderful, and Serena couldn't believe it. How he managed to pull all of this through for her was beyond her, but at the same time it was completely amazing. She was totally grateful and forever indebted to this crazy man!

She laughed, cried, and smiled happily when he'd finished explaining. No one has ever jumped through so many hoops for her, to salvage what she had left of her college career and her life, and nonetheless make it all brand spanking new! She jumped into his arms, almost making them fall. "Thank you, Seto! Thank you! I don't know what to say but thank you!" She exclaimed.

"You're welcome, Serena." He smiled, "You know I'd do anything for you."

She laughed, "I do now. Thank you."

Seto offered her a nod, and the two held hands while gawking up at the meteor shower that twirled before their blue eyes. Time seemed to stand still. Perfection was the atmosphere around them. Both knew that they were in the right place now. They needed to be with each other. Neither one said it, but they both planned it, and forever was what they'd decided on. They needed each other _forever_.

Serena tilted her head to the side, staring at Seto for a minute, drinking him in with her eyes. Seto turned over and did the same. They were silent, just looking at each other and knowing that this was meant to be.

Serena broke the silence, she just couldn't resist. "Seto, I love you."

"I love you too, Serena. _Forever_."

Smiling brightly, she replied, "_Forever_."

Seto scooted in closer while grasping Serena's neck lightly. He took in her beautifully soft lips. They shared a magnificent kiss, taking them both away and into the dancing stars.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Wow, you guys, IT'S FINISHED! I can hardly believe it! It feels so amazing! How'd you guys like Seto and Serena's romantic, long, exaggerated kissing scene over Ahmose's dead body? HAHA! I am honestly the least romantic person in the world so I am sincerely sorry for that. I'm not sure why I keep writing romance. Anyway, here are some stats:**

**Number of pages: No idea because I created this story on two different computers and the first one died. **

**Number of words: 78,312**

**Time: Published on November 7th, 2011, and finished updates on April 30th, 2014. Total time is 2 years and five and a half months for a total of 904 days!**

**THANK YOU ALL SO SO SO SO SO MUCH! I love all of my readers and thank you once again for sticking with me. Sorry this chapter was longer, but it just made sense to have a longer chapter than make you all wait for another. So, I have an idea that sprung up in my head back in October of a sequel to this story, and I was wondering if any of you would be interested in reading it. If so, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know! Nevertheless, thank you all again for being such loyal and wonderful readers. You've all made me very happy! Please review and tell me what you thought of this story. I'd really like to know, and reviews are candy, and I like candy! So please gimme some candy!**

**Thank you everyone for reading!**

**Sincerely, animechick999! **


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